SINGAPORE: Thirty-two diners have been fined S$300 each for flouting COVID-19 safe management measures, such as not wearing a mask promptly after eating or drinking at food and beverage (F&B) outlets, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) on Tuesday (Sep 29).
Additionally, eight more outlets, including Brewerkz at Riverside Point and Siam Square Mookata at The Punggol Settlement, have been ordered to close for breaching the rules.
Fourteen outlets were also fined for a variety of breaches, such as admitting and seating groups of more than five together and allowing people to intermingle between tables.
EIGHT F&B OUTLETS ORDERED TO CLOSE
The eight outlets that have been ordered to close for 10 days each are: Brewerkz at Riverside Point, Siam Square Mookata at Punggol Point, Chicken Up and Ggang Tong in Tanjong Pagar, a drinks stall at New Upper Changi and Jalan Membina, Jamboree Bar & Cafe at Orchard Towers, and Cafe de Muse at Shaw House.
At Brewerkz, Ggang Tong, Chicken Up, the operators had allowed between eight and 12 diners to be seated across two tables and intermingle, said MSE.
At Jamboree, officers saw individuals intermingle with different groups of patrons at different tables.
Siam Square Mookata was ordered to shut after officers saw patrons at two tables drinking alcohol at 10.45pm.
The drinks stall at a coffee shop at 59 New Upper Changi Road was also ordered to close after four tables of people were seen drinking alcohol at the outdoor refreshment area at 10.50pm.
Similarly at Block 26 Jalan Membina, a drinks stall was ordered to close after a patron was seen drinking alcohol at the outdoor refreshment area at 11.20pm.
At Cafe de Muse, officers saw groups of people queuing at the entrance who did not observe a safe distance of 1m.
They also observed that temperature screening for patrons was not in place and the seats between customers were less than 1m apart.
Additionally, another 14 F&B outlets – including one repeat offender – were also fined for breaching safe management measures.
These included admitting and seating groups of more than five together, allowing groups to intermingle between tables, seating groups of customers less than 1m apart and not ensuring that food handlers wore their masks properly.
Thirteen of the outlets were fined S$1,000, and one outlet was fined S$2,000 for repeat offences, MSE said.
CNA has asked MSE for more information on the 14 outlets.
Separately, inspections on 240 F&B outlets in “known hotspots” on Sep 25 and Sep 26 found that 15 of them had also flouted COVID-19 regulations.
“Agencies are reviewing the breaches and the appropriate enforcement actions to be taken, including temporary closure of the outlets and the issuance of fines,” said MSE.
READ: 23 F&B outlets breach COVID-19 safety rules, including restaurant that served beer in teapots after 11pm
32 PEOPLE FINED FOR BREACHING SAFE MANAGEMENT MEASURES
A total of 32 individuals will also be fined S$300 each for not observing safe management measures at F&B outlets, MSE said.
These breaches involved gathering and sitting in groups of more than five and intermingling between tables.
Two diners were also fined for not wearing their masks when talking to each other at an F&B outlet in Orchard, after they had completed their meal and their table had been cleared.
“While the majority of patrons observe (safe management measures), there remains a minority which continue to breach them,” MSE said.
“The Government will continue to step up enforcement checks at F&B outlets around Singapore to ensure that they remain safe spaces for all.
The ministry urged patrons to be socially responsible and observe the regulations, saying that agencies will not hesitate to take enforcement action against both patrons and premises that breach the safety measures.
READ: 3 more F&B outlets ordered to close for flouting COVID-19 rules
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Tuesday urged diners to cooperate with F&B operators.
“The number of community cases have remained low, thanks to our collective efforts in adhering to the COVID-19 measures,” she said.
“It hasn’t been easy making the necessary adjustments to reduce the risks of transmission, but we must remain vigilant, as more people return to workplaces.
“By preventing a new wave of infections, we will be able to continue meeting and catching up with our friends and family members in this new normal.”
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