SINGAPORE - The 16-year-old Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant is the latest victim claimed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has devastated the food and beverage industry.

The Imperial Treasure Group put up a notice on its website on June 10 announcing that the mid-market eatery ceased operations since June 8.

The restaurant, which served dishes from different Chinese regions, opened on the fifth floor of Ngee Ann City in 2004. It is the second restaurant by the group founded by Mr Alfred Leung, who left the Crystal Jade Group to start his own Imperial Treasure brand.

His first restaurant, Imperial Treasure Teochew Restaurant, opened earlier in 2004 in the same mall.

Mr Leung sold a majority stake in the business to Malaysia-based private equity group Navis Capital Partners in 2015, but continues to front the brand.

The chain now operates 16 outlets in Singapore comprising fine-dining, mid-priced and casual concepts. Some, like the Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant in Ion Orchard and Great World and Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine in Marina Bay Sands, are temporarily closed.

A spokesman for the chain said the management decided not to renew Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant's tenancy, which was ending, when the circuit breaker was announced in April. She added: "This is so that we can focus our efforts and resources on other outlets."