Chew Ming Hui, Author at Goody Feed

Wouldn't it be nice to have a pub downstairs your HDB flat where you can unwind after a long day of work? Well, it would be, if you're alright with the noise from the pub every other night. Yishun residents recently lodged complaints against an HDB "café" that allegedly operates like a pub. Ah, of course, it's Yishun again. Yishun Residents Complain About HDB "Cafe" That Allegedly Operates Like a Pub The "café" in question is called Hood Vibes, located below a Meadow Spring HDB flat at Block 468A Yishun Street 43. Image: Shin Min Daily News They definitely knew what they were doing when they named themselves Hood Vibes. Anyway, the HDB "café" found itself in the crosshairs of Yishun residents after many complained of excessive noise and smoke emanating from the establishment. Hm. Isn't that just another day in Yishun? (we're kidding) According to Shin Min Daily News, Yishun residents in the vicinity would be plagued by the noise of "café" patrons talking from as early as 7 pm. Nearing midnight, patrons would allegedly even start shouting outside the establishment—this raised residents' suspicions of the "café" operating as a pub. Happy to be alive in Yishun, perhaps. Other residents also raised issues with cigarette smoke allegedly coming from patrons at Hood Vibes, alongside concerns of potential fights breaking out at the establishment. Hopefully, it won't become a "Golden Mile fight" kind of situation. Nee Soon GRC MP Derrick Goh: Surprised to See Pub Setup With this many residents complaining about the "café", the establishment has caught the eye of Derrick Goh Soon Hee, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC). Well, that's one way to get to meet your MP. On Tuesday (15 Aug), Goh shared a lengthy Facebook post detailing his trip down to Hood Vibes with the Residents' Network chairman and Housing & Development Board (HDB) officers. And boy, oh boy, was the MP surprised to walk into the café to see a pub setup fully stocked with beer and bottles of hard liquor. Checkmate. Image: Google Maps While the owner of the establishment, one Ms Poh, wasn't on the premises when Goh visited it, the MP did speak to two men, Praveen and Vinod, claiming to be the establishment's operators. Image: Facebook (Derrick Goh Soon Hee) Well, we hoped they managed to give a reasonable explanation for the pub setup. Owner Insists It's A Café... That Sells Alcohol According to Shin Min Daily News, a woman claiming to own Hood Vibes (presumably, Ms Poh) insists that the establishment is a café, not a pub. The "copium" is strong here. The woman gave a laundry list of reasons the café was a café. First, the woman claims that the café only plays "low background music" without live singing or dancing; something that makes many pubs, pubs. Yeah... And if your grandmother had wheels, she'd be a bike. Second, the woman claims that the café only operates from 11 am to 10 pm, meaning that the noise heard by residents couldn't possibly be from the café—staff had already gone home after the establishment closed at 10 pm. Image: Google Maps Third, the woman also claims that since the café opens in the morning and sells the usual café food, it's logically a café and not a pub. So if KFC starts selling burgers, it's now Burger King ah? In any event, the woman asserts that the establishment does have a liquor license. The liquor sold at the "café" is above board for all intents and purposes. She also emphasised that authorities had conducted checks on their establishment before, which the "café" passed with no additional issues raised. For now, HDB has clarified that a café license was granted to Hood Vibes, but Hood Vibes was "clearly a liquor joint". Investigations into the potential breach of licensing conditions are currently ongoing. So, what's your take? Do you think Hood Vibes is a café or a pub?