Nightlife in Singapore is slated to resume this December, but with restrictions
Clubs in Singapore may open their doors for the very first time since March
Singapore is gearing up to reopen the doors to many nightlife establishments, including bars, pubs, nightclubs and karaoke lounges in just a few weeks.
On November 6, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Singapore announced that a “limited number” of nightlife establishments will be allowed to reopen, however they will open with COVID-19 safety measures in place under a pilot programme.
A two-month pilot programme will see participating bars and pubs reopen for two months beginning in December, and nightclubs and karaoke bars will begin their three-month-long pilot beginning in January 2021.
The measures, however, are tough.
After getting inside the club, customers will have to dance with their masks on at all times except when eating and drinking. Along with wearing masks on the dance floor, customers will have to keep a distance of 2 meters apart from each other as a group, which will be indicated by physical barriers and floor markings. Other than the marks, enforcement agencies would also be monitoring the participating establishments. If the establishments have breached any safety rules, they might face a chance of being terminated from the pilot and other penalties. Also, the consumption, sale, or serving of alcohol will not be permitted after 10:30pm.
In addition to that, guests to karaoke lounges and nightclubs would need to test negative for COVID-19 24-hours prior before permitted entrance into the venues.
We're not sure if this is all good news or bad news, but the MTI and the MHA have further urged patrons to not let their guard down. "Even if the pilots turn out well, it is expected that the nightlife industry will not resume operations in their original form for a considerable period," they said.
The news follows the resumption of live performances at designated venues announced on October 20, with two zones of a maximum of 50 people in each. The venues include Marina Bay Sands, indoor venues at Sentosa, Capitol Theatre, F1 Pit Building, SportsHub, indoor performance spaces on Royal Caribbean International and Dream Cruises, and more.
[via Bandwagon]
