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The Zouk nightclub will transform its dance floor into a spinning studio by day and a cinema by night as it spins to stay afloat with clubs out of play for the foreseeable future.
Zouk Group CEO Andrew Li told The Sunday Times that the alliance with spinning studio Absolute Cycle will allow the club to better utilize its space and will help its partner meet excess demand, as distancing rules They sure have forced fitness studios to reduce their ability. .
Zouk can accommodate 50 bicycles on two floors, Li said, adding that the classes will run seven days a week, starting tomorrow. “We have all this space, and the sound system, lighting, and smoke machines create the perfect setting.”
The club is also awaiting final approval to begin screening movies, with plans to host themed movie nights four times a week.
“We can set up tables spaced up to five and decorate the club to match the theme of the month. We are also working on food programming to complement the movie experience,” Li said.
In July, the Clarke Quay club converted Capital, a 31,000-square-foot lounge in the Zouk complex, into a dining restaurant. Renting space to Lazada for the live broadcast has also been one of the new sources of income.
Zouk’s latest plans come as the closure of nightclubs, karaoke venues and bars without food licenses runs into his seventh month.
While there have been signs that phase three of Singapore’s reopening may be on the horizon, many store owners fear they won’t be able to reopen as planned.
Some say they are eagerly awaiting updates on support to help traders turn or exit, which was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in August.
Li said crowded dance floors are unlikely to return in the near future. “We have to keep thinking outside the box, because we don’t know how long this will last.”
He said new sources of income, combined with salary subsidies, have allowed Zouk to break even and retain staff. The transformation into an all-day destination is also part of Zouk’s biggest shift from a nightlife operator to a lifestyle group, Li said.
“You can tour in the afternoon, watch a movie and dine in the same place,” he said, adding that plans are being prepared to associate hotels in vacation packages.
OUTSIDE THE BOX
We have all this space, and the sound system, lighting, and smoke machines are the perfect setting … We have to keep thinking outside the box, because we don’t know how long it will last.
MR ANDREW LI, CEO of Zouk Group, on how Clarke Quay nightclub has pivoted to stay afloat.
EXPLORING SOLUTIONS
Nightlife companies have submitted proposals that we are carefully reviewing and are also exploring ways to support them, such as switching to permitted activities.
A SPOKESMAN FROM THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, on the Government’s commitment to the nightlife industry in solutions.
Meanwhile, other nightclubs like Bang Bang and Lulu’s Lounge go into hibernation mode as parent company SJS Group focuses on its other food and beverage brands, while venues like Marquee keep the party going with virtual events.
Some traders say there are obstacles to pivoting.
Volkan G., Managing Director of F Club x Attica, said the nature and design of the unit make change of use difficult. “The pivot might not be economical, considering the investment required; it could also be difficult to keep the club’s license afterward.”
Francesca Way, co-founder of entertainment and nightlife company A Phat Cat Collective, said plans to reopen her arcade-themed bar and nightclub Nineteen80 as a dining concept have been delayed.
This is because its application to temporarily change the use of the unit continues to be evaluated by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, pending the Government’s review of its approach to nightclubs.
While Zouk has been able to tour, it has been extremely difficult for other nightclubs to do so without a pre-existing kitchen and the help of owners and authorities, given the complexity of the process, Way said.
Joseph Ong, managing director of 1-Group, said he is awaiting approval to transform the Yang club at Clarke Quay into a dining and entertainment concept.
Ong, who is president of the Singapore Nightlife Business Association, said the industry has been engaging authorities in ways to support businesses.
To help its members rotate, the association is working with Enterprise Singapore to streamline the application process for the Enterprise Development Scholarship, which will help fund up to 80 percent of eligible costs.
It has also proposed to extend the hours of sale of alcoholic beverages in authorized establishments beyond 10:30 p.m. M. And allow karaoke venues to reopen with safe management measures.
Asked about these proposals and whether the reopening of nightlife will be allowed in phase three, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said it is taking a cautious approach with entertainment establishments in the sector, given the increased risk of transmission of Covid- 19.
The government is closely involving the industry to find possible solutions to move forward, a spokesperson said.
“Nightlife companies have submitted proposals that we are carefully reviewing and we are also exploring ways to support them, such as switching to permitted activities.”
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