Chinatown Restaurant Ordered Shut Temporarily For Covid-19 Breaches, Not Their First Time Getting Caught

By
Shawn Ambrose
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Since the emergence of Covid-19, the authorities have repeatedly conveyed one simple message: follow the rules, and everything will be fine and dandy.

And in response to this message, residents and businesses have said: we hear what you’re saying, but a few of us will politely refuse to do so.

I mean, has there been a month since Jan this year without an individual or company breaching Covid-19 regulations?

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Image: Tenor

So, when news of a restaurant flouting Covid-19 rules is reported, we’re hardly surprised.

Restaurant Ordered Shut Temporarily For Breaching Covid-19 Rules, The Xth One Since Aug 2020

A restaurant has been ordered to shut temporarily after it was found to have flouted Covid-19 safe management measures, reported CNA.

Wang Zi Chu Fang, located at 191A and 199 New Bridge Road, had racked up quite a few offences, actually. These include:

  • failing to ensure that there was a safe distance of 1m between groups of customers
  • failing to ensure that group sizes did not exceed five people
  • allowing customers to drink alcohol past 10.30pm
Image: Singapore Tourism Board

And it’s not just that.

During a joint operation by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the police on Saturday, the authorities discovered that the establishment had also provided customers with drinking games.

Personally, I don’t walk into a restaurant to play drinking games, but in any case, eateries aren’t actually allowed to do so, said STB:

“Under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, food and beverage establishments are not permitted to provide games if they are not also an amusement centre. Further investigations are ongoing”.

This isn’t even the restaurant’s first offence; it was fined S$1,000 on 24 Jul for failing to ensure 1m safe distancing between customers.

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Two Other Eateries Fined

Checks by STB’s enforcement officers found that two other restaurants had failed to ensure 1m safe distancing between customers.

Is it really that difficult to do?

According to CNA, Bistro Du Le Pin and Wang Dae Bak were fined S$1,000 each on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Image: Singapore Tourism Board
Image: Singapore Tourism Board

If you’re the owner of an eating establishment or popular tourist store, you should note that the authorities are watching you.

Image: Tenor

Ever since the country entered Phase 2 of its safe reopening, residents have rushed to eateries as if they hadn’t eaten since the start of the circuit breaker.

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This is why additional Enforcement Officers and Safe Distancing Ambassadors will be deployed where required, to ensure that establishments comply with safe management rules.

Served Alcohol in Teapot

These restaurants above have nothing on S-Tripes Hotpot, though, as the restaurant was found last week to have poured alcoholic beverages into teapots and empty green tea bottles to avoid detection.

Image: Tenor

Not only did they serve alcohol after 10.30pm, their employees were also not wearing masks or wearing them improperly, despite being reminded of the requirement.

The restaurant was fined $2,000 for the offences.

Several other bars and restaurants have been caught flouting safe distancing rules during Phase 2, and have been either fined or ordered to cease operations temporarily.

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The message from the authorities is clear: follow the rules, and everything will be fine and dandy.

Let’s not place the health of residents at risk just because we want to make a few extra bucks.

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]