SINGAPORE: Three F&B businesses at Science Park Drive and Havelock Road were issued an order to close their premises and fined after failing to comply with measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Monday (Aug 31).
The F&B outlets are: Whimsical Bar at 2 Science Park Drive, an adjacent restaurant called Create Kitchen, and S-Tripes Hotpot located at 731 Havelock Road.
Both Whimsical Bar and Create Kitchen were fined S$1,000, and S-Tripes Hotpot was fined S$2,000.
F&B establishments were allowed to resume dine-in services from Jun 19 under Phase 2 of Singapore’s reopening, but sale and consumption of alcohol at these establishments are prohibited after 10.30pm.
Each group of customers must also be limited to five or fewer people, with at least 1m spacing and no intermingling between groups.
SFA officers found that Whimsical Bar did not implement safe distancing measures between tables and alcohol was served after 10.30pm.
“Tables were spaced less than 1m apart and groups of more than five people were allowed to sit together and mingle,” SFA said.
The agency added that Whimsical Bar was operating a food establishment “without a valid food shop licence” and was ordered to close immediately until it obtains a licence.
READ: 10 F&B outlets fined, some ordered to suspend dine-in services after breaching COVID-19 safe distancing measures
The unit adjacent to the bar, Create Kitchen, “violated similar safe management measures”, SFA said, noting that this establishment has a licence to operate as a restaurant. Create Kitchen was ordered to close from Sep 2 to Sep 11.
SFA officers also found that S-Tripes Hotpot restaurant had flouted safe management measures on multiple occasions and it served alcoholic drinks after 10.30pm.
“Staff were not wearing masks or not wearing them properly in spite of reminders.
“Sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages was observed after 10.30pm, with the beverages transferred into teapots and empty green tea bottles before being served to avoid detection,” SFA said.
Sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages was observed after 10.30pm at S-Tripes Hotpot restaurant, with the beverages transferred into teapots and empty green tea bottles before being served to avoid detection. (Photo: SFA)
S-Tripes Hotpot restaurant was ordered to close from Sep 2 to Sep 11.
Under the COVID-19 regulations, first-time offenders will face a fine of up to S$10,000, up to six months jail, or both, SFA said.
Subsequent offenders may face a fine of up to S$20,000, a jail term of up to twelve months, or both.
SFA added that under the Environmental Public Health Act, no person shall operate a food establishment without a valid licence.
“Offenders shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$2,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding S$100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction,” the agency said.
Last week, 10 F&B outlets were fined for breaching safe distancing requirements.
These breaches include accepting reservations for more than five people, inter-mingling of large groups across tables, failure to observe the minimum 1m distance between tables and allowing alcohol consumption on premises after 10.30pm.
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