Covid-19: 3 nightspots in Orchard, Boat Quay to reopen from Dec 8 under strict safety rules in 2-month pilot

SINGAPORE — Three bars and pubs in central Singapore will be allowed to reopen from Tuesday (Dec 8) for two months under a small-scale pilot held to examine how the nightlife industry can resume business safely amid the Covid-19 pandemic. A second pilot for karaoke outlets and nightclubs is due to get underway in January.

The three premises are: Bar Kiharu at Orchard Plaza, Bell Bar at Cuppage Plaza and Skinny’s Lounge at Boat Quay the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

The ministries said the three — which must adhere to strict safety rules — had been chosen from a total of six nominations after a careful review, which included assessing an operator’s readiness and capabilities to comply with the requisite safe management measures.

Nightlife venues have been closed for more than eight months owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The announcement comes just over a month after the ministries released details of the pilot on Nov 6. Earlier reports suggested the pilot might involve 10 bars and pubs.

Nightlife business associations were invited to nominate suitable outlets to participate in the pilot, and interested outlets were required to submit proposals to the associations on how they intended to reopen safely, including plans to implement the required safe management measures.

According to the ministries, the pilot aims to “establish the viability and robustness of the stringent safe management measures” for higher-risk settings like bars and pubs.

Aside from prevailing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations — such as ensuring customers stick to groups of no more than five, keeping a safe distance between tables and no sale or consumption of alcohol past 10.30pm — operators must observe other measures as well.

These include ensuring that customers, visitors and workers do not provide or condone hostessing services, as well as keeping interactions between the staff and customers “no longer than is ordinarily necessary” to perform a service.

Other measures include a requirement to have surveillance cameras deployed and activated at all times, with recordings stored for at least 28 days.

Customers are “strongly advised” to visit no more than one nightlife establishment per night, in view of public health considerations associated with Covid-19, said the ministries.

They stressed that participating operators must comply with these stringent measures “at all times” or risk facing enforcement action.

It warned that during the pilot, enforcement agencies will be monitoring the compliance by these outlets and their customers.

If an operator flouts any of the rules, not only will they face the prospects of being removed from the pilot, but also be liable for a fine of up to S$10,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.

While no details have been released yet, the ministries said the pilots for karaoke outlets and nightclubs are expected to commence by January 2021.