3 bars and pubs permitted to reopen under COVID-19 pilot program for nightlife industry

Three bars and pubs will be permitted to reopen for just two months under a small-scale pilot program for the nightlife industry, the Ministry of Trade and Sector (MTI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday (Dec 8).

The three bars and pubs are Bar Kiharu at Orchard Plaza, Bell Bar at Cuppage Plaza and Skinny’s Lounge at Boat Quay.

These were selected after a “careful review” of the six nominations MTI and MHA received, including assessing the operators’ readiness and capacity to comply with the approved safe management measures, said the ministries in a joint press release.

Bell Bar said that it will reopen on Tuesday from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, while Skinny's Lounge might reopen on Wednesday from 4pm to 10pm.Bar Kiharu said that it will reopen on Wednesday, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

The COVID-19 multi-ministry task force said on Oct 20 that bars, pubs, nightclubs, discotheques and karaoke lounges will never be permitted to "reopen in their original form for quite a while, as the type of their activities poses a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission".

On Nov 6, MTI and MHA said a “limited amount” of nightlife establishments will be allowed to reopen with COVID-19 safety measures set up under a pilot program, and announced information on the programme.

“The pilots aim to establish the viability and robustness of the stringent safe supervision measures and the power of the nightlife industry to adhere to them, before the Federal government considers allowing any more steps in the resumption of nightlife businesses,” said the ministries on Tuesday.

Interested outlets possessed to post proposals to the Singapore Nightlife Organization Association or the Singapore River A single association how they plan to reopen safely, incorporating their plans to put into practice the mandatory COVID-19 safety measures.

The nightlife business associations were allowed to nominate suitable outlets to participate in the pilot programme.

SAFE MANAGEMENT MEASURES

In addition to complying with prevailing safe distancing rules and place of work safe management steps, the three venues have to ensure that buyers, visitors and workers usually do not provide or condone hostessing offerings and that interactions between workers and buyers are no longer than what is “ordinarily required” to serve food and refreshments or to accept payment.

The venues must also implement TraceTogether-only SafeEntry and also deploy and activate closed-circuit tv cameras constantly and keep recordings for at least 28 days.

They also needs to “strongly advise buyers to visit no more than one nightlife establishment per night time, in view of public health factors connected with COVID-19”, said the ministries.

Group sizes remain limited to five people with no intermingling between groupings, and at least 1m should be maintained between different sets of customers.

The sale, serving and consumption of alcohol must cease at 10.30pm and customers have to wear masks at all times unless eating or perhaps drinking.

Live music, radio broadcasts and all varieties of tv set or video and different forms of public entertainment such as for example dancing, darts, billiards, pool, or karaoke aren't allowed, said the ministries.

“Participating operators must comply with the stringent safe administration measures set out for the nightlife market constantly,” MTI and MHA said. 

“Through the pilot, enforcement organizations will screen the compliance simply by these outlets and their buyers’ with the safe administration measures.

“In case of breaches, enforcement activities will be taken beneath the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Work 2020, and the participating operator may be taken off the pilot.

“The operator can also be liable for an excellent as high as S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term as high as six months or even to both.”

The ministries added that the pilots for karaoke outlets and nightclubs are anticipated to start next month.