4 F&B outlets ordered to close for breaching COVID-19 rules; 1 allowed customers to make speeches

Four F&B outlets were ordered to close temporarily for breaching safe management measures (SMMs), the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said in a statement on Friday (Jan 29). 

The breaches were uncovered during stepped-up enforcement checks over the last weekend, MSE said.

One of the outlets, Main Entrance at Sago Street,was ordered to close for 10 days from Jan 26. It allowed a gathering of more than eight individuals and allowed customers to make speeches.

Under the COVID-19 Temporary Measures act, F&B establishments must not allow any speeches or recitals by customers. 

Additionally, the outlet had failed to conduct temperature checks at the entrance.

The Xiao Yao Ge restaurant at Jurong East Ave 1 was ordered to close for 10 days from Jan 28. It allowed different groups of diners to seat less than 1m apart.

It was the third time the restaurant has flouted COVID-19 rules. 

The Tian Ya Hai Jiao KTV at Aliwal Street, which pivoted its operations to a F&B business, was ordered to close for 10 days after serving alcohol past 10.30pm. 

 The Killiney Kopitiam at Lucky Plaza was ordered to close for 10 days from Jan 27. It failed to conduct temperature checks at the entrance and ensure its customers performed SafeEntry check-ins for contact tracing purposes. 

The eatery had been fined $1,000 on Aug 3, 2020 and $2,000 on Nov 2, 2020 for similar infringements.

Four other F&B outlets were fined $1,000 each for breaching SMMs. 

The offences include seating groups of diners less than 1m apart, seating a group of more than eight individuals together and accepting bookings for more than eight individuals. 

The restaurants are Dong Bei Ren Jia and Spring Court Restaurant at Upper Cross Street, Lao Si Chuan Dou Hua Zhuang at Temple Street and The Temple Restaurant at Trengganu Street. 

Two F&B establishments were fined $2,000 each for repeated offences. 

The establishments are Mei Heong Yuen Dessert at Temple Street and The Hot Pot Gathering restaurant at Upper Cross Street.   

Nine individuals from The Temple Restaurant and 18 individuals from Main Entrance were also each fined $300 for gathering in groups that were larger than eight.

Charges were filed by the URA against two other F&B operators for breaches under the COVID-19 Temporary Measures act.

Mark Enterprise Pte Ltd, the operator of Try Again bar at Circular Road, was allegedly found to be opened for business at 9.06pm on Jul 18, 2020. 

This was despite being issued a closure order requiring the operator to close its premises for a period of 10 days from Jul 18, 2020.

Additionally, charges were also filed against Kim’s Place Seafood Restaurant Pte Ltd, the operator of Kim’s Place Seafood at Joo Chiat Place and Singapore Straits Wine Company Pte Ltd. 

Kim’s Place Seafood allegedly allowed gatherings of more than five persons split across multiple tables and allowed karaoke activities on its premises on Sep 7, 2020 and Sep 12, 2020. 

The operator was also issued two closure orders totaling 30 days for the breaches, from Jan 6 to Feb 4. 

Singapore Straits Wine Company allegedly organised a company gathering which involved 26 staff at Kim’s Place Seafood on Sep 7, 2020. The staff were each fined $300. 

In addition, 104 individuals were fined for breaching SMMs on Jan 23 and 24 in parks and beaches managed by the National Parks Board (NParks).

These breaches included gathering in groups of more than eight people and intermingling. In Changi Beach Park alone, 27 individuals were each fined $300 for breaching SMMs over the two days. 

NParks said they will continue to step up enforcement at our parks and beaches.

In the same statement, MSE advised members of the public to stay vigilant and adhere to the rules to reduce the chances of community transmission in Singapore.

Ahead of the festive period, MSE warned that multiple table bookings at F&B premises for groups larger than eight persons are strictly prohibited, unless the diners are from the same household. 

Intermingling across different tables is not allowed too. 

MSE said it would not hesitate to take action against operators and diners who break the rules. 

“Agencies are already stepping up enforcement inspections, including checking the bookings made at F&B outlets, and will continue to do so during the festive period,” the statement said.

“We will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against operators and diners. This includes fines, suspension of operations even for first offences, and prosecution for egregious breaches.”