SINGAPORE - Three food and beverage outlets have been ordered to close for 10 days, while four others have been fined $1,000 each for flouting safe management measures, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment on Tuesday (Sept 22).
This brings the total number of F&B outlets taken to task for breaches to 45 since the start of phase two. Of these, 26 were ordered to close and 19 were fined.
This comes after enforcement actions were taken against 18 other F&B outlets, with three ordered to close and 15 fined, as announced last Thursday.
In its statement, the ministry reiterated that gatherings of groups involving more than five people are not allowed, even if they are split across multiple tables.
F&B operators are also not permitted to accept these reservations, MSE said.
"Exceptions can only be made if all members of the group are from the same household. In such cases, the group will need to be seated at multiple tables, with no more than five persons per table, with at least 1m spacing between the tables.
"Establishments can request to verify diners' claims that they are from the same household, and can reject entry of diners at their discretion," it said.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said the authorities will continue to step up enforcement against violations of safe management measures.
"As Singapore works towards reopening our economy, we must do so in a responsible and safe manner. This is to guard against a resurgence in community cases, and potential devastating consequences," she wrote.
"More people are dining out, especially on weekends, which is understandable. But it is critical for all of us to adhere to safe management measures."
One of the outlets ordered shut is a drinks outlet at Block 261 Serangoon Central Drive.
Officers arrived there at 10.55pm last Saturday and saw customers consuming alcohol at two tables in the outdoor refreshment area.
Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, selling and consuming alcoholic beverages after 10.30pm is prohibited.
On Monday, the Singapore Food Agency ordered the restaurant to close from Tuesday until Oct 1 - a period of 10 days.
Beer Factory at 25 Church Street was ordered to shut its doors by the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Sept 17. The outlet will remain closed between Sept 18 and Sept 28.
On Sept 12, three groups of more than five customers each were observed at the outlet at 9.50pm.
A restaurant at 39 Hong Kong Street has also been ordered to close after officers detected a group of 15 customers mingling across four tables during a private dinner event on Sept 12. It will stay closed from Sept 18 to Sept 27.
Four other outlets were fined $1,000 for breaches such as allowing groups of more than five to be seated together or to intermingle between tables, and seating groups of customers less than 1m apart.
