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SINGAPORE – In a small first step towards reopening the nightlife scene here, three bars and pubs will be allowed to reopen for two months under a small-scale pilot program with strict safe management measures.
Bars and pubs that are part of the initial wave of openings are Bell Bar at Cuppage Plaza, which opens Tuesday night (December 8); Skinny’s Lounge at Boat Quay, which opens Wednesday (December 9); and Bar Kiharu in Orchard Plaza, which plans to open on Wednesday or Thursday.
They were jointly selected by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MTI) and the Ministry of the Interior (MHA) from six nominations submitted by nightlife trade associations such as the Singapore Nightlife Business Association (SNBA) and the River One of Singapore.
Interested media were to submit proposals to business associations on how they intend to reopen safely, including plans to implement the necessary secure management measures.
Tuesday’s announcement follows an earlier one by authorities about how up to 25 establishments can participate in a two- to three-month pilot to reopen entertainment venues.
The government said the pilots “aim to establish the viability and robustness of the strict safe management measures, and the ability of the nightlife industry to comply with them, before the government considers allowing further steps in resuming business. of the night life “.
The measures include existing rules such as restricting groups to no more than five people, not allowing tables to be mixed up and not selling or consuming alcohol after 10:30 PM.
Recorded music can be played, but it should not be higher than 60 decibels, which is the equivalent of normal conversation. A loud rock concert is around 120 decibels.
Live music, radio broadcasts, and all forms of television, video, and other forms of public entertainment such as dancing, darts, billiards, billiards, or karaoke are also not allowed.
Law enforcement agencies will monitor the sites and take action if there are violations. Penalties include removal of a facility from the pilot program, a fine of up to $ 10,000, jail for up to six months, or both.
While the major bars and pubs have reopened, as most have food licenses, the SNBA welcomed the opportunity for the smaller players to reopen.
He said he received three proposals for 10 available spaces and proposed two to the authorities: Bell Bar and Bar Kiharu.
“In addition to their proposal for safe entry and management measures, we also looked at their CCTV footage, floor plans, and still images to see if they met things like safe distancing … There were also site inspections by SNBA and relevant agencies, “SNBA Vice President Thiagarajan told The Straits Times.
“These three bars are too small to get a food or snack bar license, so this opportunity for them to finally reopen is a good one.”
Next, SNBA is working on the presentations for nightclubs and discos, the pilot program of which is expected to start in January next year.
Those will involve stricter measures such as pre-entry Covid testing and the need to wear masks on the dance floor.
Thiagarajan noted that many nightclubs have already considered switching to a food and beverage business as it is “more feasible and less risky to run the venue as an F&B establishment.”
The government announced last month that nightlife establishments not participating in the pilot programs can apply for financial support packages to pivot toward food and beverage operations or other commercial uses with a grant of up to $ 50,000 from Enterprise Singapore.
Several great actors such as Ce La Vi and Marquee Singapore will not participate in the pilot program.
A smaller venue, Nineteen80 nightclub on Tanjong Pagar Road, run by A Phat Cat Collective, has decided to change to become a snack bar and will reopen on December 18.
Francesca Way, co-founder of Phat Cat Collective, said customer feedback was that “many would not want to test due to cost and hassle.”
“I have no doubt that there will definitely be crowds who would still be willing to come, but the financial risks and uncertainty for traders are high … From a trader’s perspective, the cutoff time for alcohol consumption at 22 : 30 h is difficult as normally our peak hours, and therefore lucrative, it is from 11 pm, “he said.
“Beyond the pilot, there is a possibility that clubbing will not return so soon, so at least this way we can protect the livelihoods of our team and begin the road to recovery from the nine months that we have been closed.” .
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