2 Amoy Street bars ordered to cease operations, fined for breaching Covid-19 safety measures

SINGAPORE — Two F&B businesses along Amoy Street have been ordered to cease operations immediately after customers were allowed to consume alcohol on premises after 10.30pm.

Chico Loco and Moonstone bars were also each fined S$1,000, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a statement on Sunday (June 28).

F&B establishments were allowed to resume dine-in services on June 19, when Singapore entered Phase 2 of its reopening after the circuit breaker period. Dining-in is allowed, but F&B outlets are required to cease liquor sales and consumption by 10.30pm.

Diners must also be spaced 1m apart and up to five people are allowed to sit together.

Moonstone bar said in a Facebook post on Sunday morning that it has been ordered to close "indefinitely" and that F&B establishments should not “take the 10.30pm alcohol ban lightly”.

“There is no ‘grace period’ allowed for customers to finish up with their last drinks on hand even if the order was served before 10.30pm,” the post said.

"The rule states strictly, no consumption on premise after 10.30pm. This is a hard stop and no reasons are accepted by the enforcement officers. This was our mistake (on Saturday)."

It also asked customers to “make things easy” for F&B businesses.

“An extra 15 minutes might not be a long time to you as a customer, but it’s this same amount of time that will put the jobs and livelihoods of F&B workers on the line.”

Since the start of Phase 2, STB has issued 19 composition fines of S$300 each to individuals and four composition fines ranging from S$1,000 to $2,000 to businesses that fail to comply with Covid-19 safe management measures.

This includes Furama Riverfront Hotel, which was fined S$1,000 for failing to record visitors’ contact details upon entry, and Chennai Trading, which was fined S$2,000 for lack of crowd management.

The tourism board has also stepped up checks of tourism precincts and establishments since June 19.

“(STB) will continue to deploy additional enforcement officers and safe distancing ambassadors where required,” it said, adding that the vast majority of local businesses have adhered to the safe management measures.

“STB will continue to engage our industry partners and precinct associations, to help them implement these measures effectively.”

It said that the Government takes "a serious view" of non-compliance of safe management measures by businesses and individuals.

“While we encourage everyone to support our local businesses and enjoy what they have to offer, we urge customers to do so in a socially responsible way and to adhere to all prevailing safe management measures," STB said.

“This will help to ensure the safety and health of everyone, while allowing businesses to remain open.” CNA

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