[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: Three food and beverage establishments have been temporarily closed for violating COVID-19 security measures, the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MSE) reported on Thursday (September 17).
Fifteen other outlets have also been fined from S $ 1,000 onwards for disobeying the rules, the ministry added in a press release.
READ: 23 food and beverage establishments violate COVID-19 safety rules, including restaurant serving beer in kettles after 11pm
These were among the 23 food and beverage outlets recently identified during the intensified checks on the weekend of September 12-13.
Among the outlets ordered to close is a seafood restaurant in Orchard Plaza that serves alcohol in metal teapots.
At 11 p.m. on September 12, officers arrived in Jiang Hu Xia Ke and observed 13 people pouring drinks from metal teapots onto their tables.
“Investigations revealed that the kettles contained beer, and the restaurant supervisor admitted to hiding alcohol consumption with the kettles,” the ministry said in the press release.
Beer bottles sold by restaurants were also hidden in the bottom of a refrigerator that was used to store drinks.
Under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act of 2020, the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited after 10:30 p.m.
CLIENTS SITTING TOGETHER, INTERMEDIATE
In Jurong East, eight people were observed sitting together and mingling at a long table at 96 Food Fusion & Bar.
A group of eight were seen sitting together at a long table at 96 Food Fusion & Bar on September 12, 2020 (Photo: Singapore Food Agency).
READ: First-time F&B violators will now face enforcement action for disobeying COVID-19 safe handling measures: Lawrence Wong
Another restaurant in Chinatown was ordered to close after accepting a reservation for a group of 10 people.
When officers arrived at Frog Meat Fish Head around 10 p.m., customers were seen sitting at two tables inside a private dining room, MSE said.
“When asked, the store staff claimed that the people at the two tables did not know each other,” the ministry said.
However, after further questions, customers admitted that they were colleagues.
The operators of the three points of sale received a closing order for a period of 10 days.
15 F&B DEPARTURES FINED FOR BREACHING SAFETY RULES
A total of 15 food and beverage establishments have also been fined for violating COVID-19 security measures, MSE said in the press release.
Customers at an F&B outlet in Punggol were seen consuming alcohol at 10:45 p.m. (Photo: Singapore Food Agency)
Ten of the outlets were fined S $ 1,000 for violations, such as allowing groups of more than five to sit together or mingle between tables and seating groups of customers less than 1 meter apart.
The other five outlets were fined S $ 2,000 for repeat offenses, MSE said.
A group of 12 were seated at two tables in a Tanjong Pagar restaurant. (Photo: Urban Redevelopment Authority)
Additional inspections were carried out Wednesday at 57 food and beverage outlets at “known hotspots,” MSE said.
Among these, seven were found to have violated COVID-19 safety rules.
“Agencies are reviewing these violations and the appropriate enforcement actions that will be taken, including the temporary closure of outlets and the issuance of fines,” MSE said.
“COVID-19 remains a serious threat,” the ministry said.
He added that going out to dinner is an activity that “involves considerable risks because it implies meeting in closed spaces, without masks and for a long time.”
Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said Thursday that it was “regrettable” that food and beverage establishments were found to be in breach of COVID-19 safety standards.
“The errant actions of a few can jeopardize our collective efforts to keep our communities safe from COVID-19,” Ms Fu said in a Facebook post.
“That is why we have been intensifying our compliance controls at the food and beverage outlets.”
Fu said that the media that violated the security rules were “putting Singaporeans at risk.”
“A resurgence of COVID-19 infections would set us back on the progress we have made in transitioning to a new normal.”
She reminded the public to be conscientious when observing safe distancing measures and to be responsible when dining out.
