These days, when a friend invites you to a party, you’d expect to turn up to his house and see him with four friends huddled around a table playing a game of Taboo.Â
Thanks to Covid-19, social gatherings have been limited to five participants for the last few months, and were not permitted at all for a couple of months earlier in the year. (Though this number will soon increase to 8 once Phase 3 kicks in).
But unbeknownst to us, people have been partying behind closed doors like it’s 2019 for several months.
Several Bars & Pubs in Golden Mile Complex Reportedly Opening Secretly Behind Shuttered Shopfronts
Large groups of people have reportedly been gathering for clandestine parties at hidden locations.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the parties have been taking place behind shuttered shopfronts in Golden Mile Complex.
A source told the Chinese daily that several bars and pubs in Golden Mile Complex have been hosting these parties in their premises since June.Â
“If you come on weekends, you’ll see the bars here filled with people completely ignoring the pandemic,” the source said.
When the authorities show up, the operators will just pull down the shutters and continue operating illegally afterwards.”
Birthday Bash
According to another Shin Min report, a birthday party took place at a small bar on the second storey of the complex on Monday (14 Dec).
A 50-year-old woman had allegedly thrown the party for her boyfriend’s birthday. Attendees were invited by word of mouth.
At you probably guessed, the guests weren’t too concerned about safe distancing measures, given that they were already breaking the law by having such a large gathering at a secret location.
Customers were not compelled to wear masks, take their temperature, or even sign in with SafeEntry.
Women were seen dancing on a makeshift dance floor while loud music blared and guests drank and socialised.
And that wasn’t the only offending venue: at least another seven such bars had parties with people packed like sardines.
All the bars, of course, were in Golden Mile Complex.
Raids, Fines, Arrests
Fortunately, not all of these errant residents went unpunished.
According to AsiaOne, the police have conducted raids at the complex and made multiple arrests for violations of safe distancing measures.
In August alone, six men and four women were fined between $4,000 and $8,000 for breaching Covid-19 measures after they were caught having an illegal social gathering in a shop unit at Golden Mile Tower.
And in November, 30 women were arrested in a police raid of the complex, of whom eight were investigated for flouting safe distancing measures.
Tough Year for Nightlife Industry
As we all know, 2020 has been a tough year for the nightlife industry.
Even though bubble tea shops, cinemas, and restaurants have been allowed to reopen, some nightlife venues like bars, pubs, and nightclubs have not been given the green light to resume operations.
The country will be shifting to Phase 3 on 28 Dec, but only three bars and pubs will be allowed to reopen as part of a pilot programme.
Still, as tough as it’s been, that’s no excuse to flout the rules and endanger residents.
We’ve come so far in containing our outbreak. One small slip and we might have a fresh wave of infections on our shore.
Please avoid partying until the authorities say it’s safe to do so.
In the meantime, if it’s your boyfriend’s birthday, invite a few friends over and play Taboo. It’s certainly better than nothing.
Featured Image: Travel_Adventure / Shutterstock.com
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