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SINGAPORE – Several nightlife companies have welcomed the latest government initiatives announced on Friday, such as allowing some operators to resume operations next month or January with strict safe management measures.
For starters, there is a limit of 25 companies that can participate in this pilot for two to three months.
The help comes as many businesses have been closed for nine months and are continuing to rise due to concerns about Covid-19.
But other operators are concerned that some of the new measures may not make sense to them due to the costs involved.
Singapore Nightlife Business Association (SNBA) President Joseph Ong said the industry has been vigilant about the measures and the association has received more than 50 inquiries on new moves to help operators change to another business after Friday’s announcement.
“There are also many inquiries about the pilot program, but the number of companies that can enter would be small,” he added.
The measures they will need to implement include making sure customers wear masks on the dance floor and providing Covid-19 negative testing evidence before entering.
Nightlife venues not in the pilot program can get financial support that allows them to switch to other lines of business, with a grant of up to $ 50,000, or walk away with a one-time payment of $ 30,000.
Mr. Ong said that SNBA will help nightlife companies turn or go out. “We will facilitate the whole process, whether they are members or not, and we will provide them with the necessary links to see what the best options are for them.”
Francesca Way, co-founder of A Phat Cat Collective, which runs retro bars and clubs Nineteen80 and Pinball Wizard, said the pilot “is a perfect way to see how we can work in terms of reopening in a post-Covid-19 world.”
He doesn’t think suggested measures, such as dancefloor try-outs and masks, are prohibitive.
“At the end of the day, safety is a priority. The fact is that nightlife as it was before needs to change. Covid-19 has changed the way we socialize and nightclubs have to adapt to that as well,” he added.
Zouk Group CEO Andrew Li said “Anything we can do to drive the opening of this industry safely again is definitely welcome.”
“Zouk Group will do everything in our power to pave the way for nightlife and entertainment to return as Singapore is sorely missed,” he added.
Some operators requested flexibility in the new measures.
For example, if a business receives financial assistance under nightlife measures, it cannot resume nightlife operations for at least 12 months.
But “companies should be able to choose to go back to their core business, if things remain under control and life enters the new normal at that time,” said Bollywood Magic Carpet club founder Sanjay Rekhi.
Some nightlife businesses are also concerned that the new measures will not work after factoring in costs.
Simon Sim, a member of the Singapore Entertainment Affiliation committee, said the general sentiment among karaoke venues is that the pilot program “doesn’t work.”
The mandatory Covid-19 test is the main hurdle, as the cost of the test could exceed the price of a karaoke session itself. Unlike cruise ship passengers, who might be willing to shell out extra money to pay for the test to board the cruise ships, karaoke patrons would feel the pinch more as the sessions are relatively cheaper, he said.
“The pilot is a small step to reopening, and it’s better than not opening at all. But it’s not very viable,” said Sim, owner of Karaoke Times.
The grants awarded, while welcome, are also not enough to get businesses out of the industry as they may not even cover the cost of a month’s rent owed to landlords, he added.
“I don’t think it helps much, but it’s better than nothing.”
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