Singapore Tightens COVID Rules: Diners & Restaurants Face Fines and Closures
Why It Matters
It’s a reminder that the pandemic is still a party crime—helpless of the poor “in-coming mask miss” excuse. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) has stepped up its game to make sure diners and food‑service spots stay safe playgrounds for everyone.
What the Ministry Said
“We will not hesitate to enforce tone‑down measures against both patrons and outlets that ignore the rules,” the MSE announced on Tuesday. The big message? No warnings, just penalties from the first offence. It’s the cherry on top of the new lockdown cake.
Details of the Violations
- 32 diners fined $300 each for ditching masks after a bite, mingling like a sushi roll around tables, or gathering in groups of more than five.
- 8 F&B outlets ordered to shut down instantly.
- 14 outlets slapped with fines—13 got $1,000 each, and a repeat offender took home a $2,000 bill.
- Common slip‑ups included: serving alcohol past 10:30 pm, letting diners hop across tables, and forgetting to keep the mask game tight for staff.
List of Closed & Fined Outlets
- Siam Square Mookata – Punggol Point Road
- Chicken Up – Tanjong Pagar branch (Korean fried‑chicken fan)
- Cafe de Muse – Shaw House
- …and 11 more rousers hit the $1,000 fine ban.
Takeaway & What to Do
Simply put: keep your mask on, stay under five when you’re cooking up a storm, and remember the old adage “if you can’t stand the heat, stay with your friends at home.” If you’re a restaurant owner, think of pest control tactics as a guidebook to a tidy safe‑management kitchen.
With an extra 240 inspections conducted last weekend, the MSE is keeping a hawk’s eye on all 15 violations that popped up. The takeaway: enforcement actions may include temporary or lasting closures and hefty fines. Stay compliant, stay safe, and let the food be as delicious as it is compliant.
<img alt="" data-caption="Two patrons were fined $300 each for not wearing their masks when talking to each other after they had completed their meal at an F&B outlet in Orchard Road on Sept 25, 2020.
PHOTO: Singapore Tourism Board” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”5619d9c1-89c0-439c-af12-887184c31bb8″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/hzmasks0928.jpg”/>Despite some diners not masking up after their meal at eateries, a Restaurant Association of Singapore spokesman said most customers do wear masks in restaurants and remove them only when food and drinks are served.
Even for those who forget to put their masks on after their meals, most will mask up when reminded, he said.
But restaurants face challenges in ensuring diners follow safe management measures, especially if they have a shortage of manpower.
“(As) servers are often busy making sure orders are taken and meals are served on time, they may be gaps in time between checks and reminding diners to wear their masks after they complete their meals,” the association spokesman said.
For entrepreneur Chen Jiaxin, 29, seeing diners talking to one another without a mask on after finishing their meals is not uncommon.
“I think people are starting to get complacent now that the community Covid-19 cases are low,” she said. “While we should not let our guard down, I can see why people (don’t mask up right) after their meal because of the discomfort of talking with a mask on.”
F&B outlets ordered to close
Here are more details on the eight outlets ordered by the authorities to close for flouting Covid-19 rules.
1. Brewerkz in Riverside Point was ordered to close after officers saw a group of eight diners mingling across two tables on Sept 12. It will stay closed for 10 days from last Friday to Oct 4.<img alt="" data-caption="Eight individuals were found seated across two tables inside Brewerkz at 30 Merchant Road and intermingling at 8.45pm on Sept 12, 2020.
PHOTO: Urban Redevelopment Authority” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”37e2ba88-d4e2-4e56-84c3-62b35a8fe829″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/rk_brewerkz_290920.jpg”/>
Unexpected Pub Shut‑Downs: A Brief, Slightly Funny Recap
It’s not every day you hear that a favourite spot in the city has had to close its doors for a few days. Here’s a short rundown of the latest hiccups, with a pinch of humor to keep the mood light.
1⃣ Siam Square Mookata – Punggol Point Road
- Why the shutdown? The staff noticed patrons at two tables indulging in extra drinks right after 10 pm on September 16. The restaurant was told to halt operations.
- ⏰ Timeline – Closed from the 19th of September until Monday (the following week).
- Epic moment – We all know how tempting it can be to bring the fun to the kitchen, but the authorities ain’t messing around.
2⃣ Drink Stall – New Upper Changi Road
- What happened? Four casual diners sparked a firework show of beverages at around 10:50 pm, and the stall was promptly told to turn off for the night.
- Close‑down window – Same as the Punggol location, from September 19 to Monday.
- Humorous side note – Looks like the far‑right corner of the outdoor refreshment area turned into an unintended “happy hour” zone.
So next time you swing by one of these spots, remember the rule: Keep the drinking party strictly within your own bubble, or the doors might just shut faster than you can say “Cheers!”
<img alt="" data-caption="Customers at four tables were found consuming alcohol at the outdoor refreshment area at 59 New Upper Changi Road at 10.50pm on Sept 16, 2020.
PHOTO: Singapore Food Agency” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”68acdd90-3ef3-4776-a83d-86ea7340b893″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/rk_59newupperchangi_290920.jpg”/>4. Korean casual dining restaurant Ggang Tong in Tanjong Pagar Road was ordered to close last Friday until Oct 4. This comes after the restaurant admitted 12 diners who were seated across two tables. The patrons sat in groups of six, mingled and shared food across tables.<img alt="" data-caption="Ggang Tong in Tanjong Pagar Road admitted 12 diners who were seated across two tables.
PHOTO: Urban Redevelopment Authority” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”b2322e74-ce2e-4ad4-a28b-242cf1c70273″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/hzggangtong0929.jpg”/>5. On Sept 18, the Chicken Up outlet in Tanjong Pagar was found to have admitted 10 patrons who sat across two tables and intermingled. The outlet will be closed for 10 days until Oct 5.
6. Another drink stall, at Block 26 Jalan Membina was ordered to close until Oct 2, after a patron consumed alcohol on Sept 19, at 11.20pm.<img alt="" data-caption="A patron was found consuming alcohol at 11.20pm at a coffeeshop at Block 26 Jalan Membina on Sept 19, 2020.
PHOTO: Singapore Food Agency” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”5fa551c5-4b84-4213-97d8-4a9cd915777c” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/hzcoffeeshop0928.jpg”/>7. The Jamboree Bar & Cafe at Orchard Towers will remain shut between last Saturday to Oct 5. Last Friday, individuals had intermingled with different groups of diners who were seated across different tables.<img alt="" data-caption="Patrons seated at different tables were found intermingling at Jamboree Bar & Cafe in Orchard Towers on Sept 25, 2020.
PHOTO: Singapore Tourism Board” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”f94eccf4-ba75-44d6-9270-f0702b9b04bc” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/hzbar0929_0.jpg”/>8. Groups of individuals were seen queuing at the entrance of Cafe de Muse last Friday without keeping a safe distance of 1m. The cafe will stay closed until Oct 5, after it was observed that temperature screenings for diners were not in place and seats were placed less than 1m apart.<img alt="" data-caption="Cafe de Muse at Shaw House was ordered to close for failing to take the temperature of customers entering its premises, and for failing to ensure safe distancing between customers on Sept 25, 2020.
PHOTO: Singapore Tourism Board” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”2d0014e4-75ba-467e-8358-968e30870fa4″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/fhmuse2909.jpg”/>For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
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