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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
Circulars

Advisory for Phase 2 Re-opening of Food & Beverage Establishments

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17 November 2020

This article has been migrated from an earlier version of the site and may display formatting inconsistencies.

Who Should Know:
Mall developers, building owners, food & beverage business owners

Effective Date:
22 October 2020

This has been superseded by the latest advisory. Please refer to the Circulars page.

  1. The Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) announced on 19 May that Singapore would exit theCircuit Breaker from 2 June and resume activities in three phases. On 15 June, the MTF announced that Phase 2 will commence on 19 June, with the resumption of most activities.

  2. To provide a safe environment for customers and workers, food and beverage (F&B) establishments currently in operation must implementSafe Management Measures (SMMs), as required by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and comply with the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations.

  3. In addition, F&B establishments are required to comply with the measures set out by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Housing & Development Board (HDB), Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in this document. The information in this document supersedes that in previous advisories or statements.

Resumption of food service operations

  1. The list of businesses that are allowed to operate from 19 June 2020 can be found on MTI’s website (https://covid.gobusiness.gov.sg/permittedlist/). Businesses in this list do not need to apply to MTI for exemption before resuming operations. They are required to submit the number of workers who are working on-site using the GoBusiness portal (https://covid.gobusiness.gov.sg) within two weeks of the date of resumption of on-site operations.

  2. For Phase 2:

    • F&B establishments1  can provide dine-in services, provided there is no provision of Public Entertainment2.

    • Sale and consumption of alcohol in all F&B establishments is prohibited after 2230hrs daily. This includes consumption at any outdoor refreshment area (ORA) and/or tables/chairs3 owned or managed by such establishment. As a best practice, by around 2200hrs, F&B operators should cease the sale of alcohol as a dine-in service and remind patrons on the need to finish up their alcohol by 2230hrs.

    • F&B establishments may provide their venue for wedding receptions and solemnisations, as well as work-related events by third parties; they are required to comply with the SMMs for these events4. Gatherings that are not work-related or beyond the current allowable group size of 5 are not permitted (e.g. social celebrations such as birthdays or work celebrations such as anniversaries, organised by the enterprise).

    • From 22 October 2020, work-related events (both non customer-facing and customer-facing5) were allowed to resume within the workplace premises and third-party venues, including F&B establishments.

      1. Non customer-facing events:

        • These are subject to a cap of 50 persons or lower depending on venue capacity and must comply with safe distancing measures (see paragraph 10).

        • Ensure at least 1m spacing between individuals at all times.

        • If food and drinks are provided, attendees must be seated, served individually, and minimise contact with one another while unmasked. Meal durations should be kept short to minimise the period that individuals are unmasked.

      2. Customer-facing events:

        • Events organised by F&B establishments within their own F&B premises are subject to the maximum number of individuals that the venue may accommodate after safe distancing measures are adhered to.

        • Events organised by external parties at F&B establishments (where the F&B premise now functions as a third-party venue) are subject to a cap of 50 persons6 or lower depending on venue capacity and they must comply with safe distancing measures. Each group must be limited to 5 or fewer persons, with at least one-metre spacing between groups. Meals should not be the main feature. If food and drinks are provided, attendees must be seated, served individually, and minimise contact with one another while unmasked. Meal durations should be kept short to minimise the period that individuals are unmasked.

        • Guidelines on entertainment must be adhered to (see paragraph 6c.). Prevailing SMMs as indicated in MOM’s Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the workplace7 continue to apply.

      3. Such events are still not permitted at publicly accessible common spaces such as mall atriums, public transport nodes and HDB common areas.

Safe Management Measures – Customer-facing Operations/Front-of-house

  1. The following measures apply to all customer-facing operations of F&B establishments:

    1. Table and seating management

      1. Each table or group must be limited to 5 or fewer persons, with at least one-metre spacing between groups8. Except for wedding receptions, solemnisations and work-related events, gatherings or groups involving more than 5 persons in total are not allowed, even if they are split across multiple tables9. There should be no mixing or intermingling between groups.

      2. Where tables/seats are fixed, tables/seats should be marked out to accommodate groups of no more than 5, while ensuring at least one-metre spacing between groups.

      3. Self-service buffet lines must be suspended10.

    2. Queue management

      1. F&B establishments are to clearly demarcate queue lines, and must ensure at least one-metre spacing between customers at areas such as entrances and cashier counters (e.g. through floor markers).

    3. Crowd management

      1. Live music, radio broadcasts and all forms of television/video screenings11 and other forms of public entertainment such as dancing, darts or karaoke are not allowed.

      2. Recorded music may be played only as soft background music. This must not be louder than 60 decibels. As a gauge, this would be the sound level for a regular conversation.

      3. Common play areas for children/toddlers/infants in F&B establishments12 are allowed to reopen, but operators must ensure at least one-metre safe distancing between groups of patrons (of up to 5 pax).

    4. Contact tracing

      1. F&B establishments must implement SafeEntry13 for customers and visitors. Those that only provide takeaway and/or delivery, where there is negligible or transient interaction with customers, are not required to do so.

    5. Health checks

      1. F&B establishments must conduct temperature screening14 and checks on visible symptoms15 for customers at entrances, and advise those with fever and/or who appear unwell to visit a doctor before turning them away16. Those that only provide takeaway and/or delivery are not required to do so.

    6. Cleanliness and hygiene

      1. F&B establishments must ensure that all employees, customers, delivery personnel and other onsite personnel put on their masks properly at all times17, except when eating and drinking. F&B establishments must also ensure that on-site diners do so before food is served and immediately after their meals.

      2. F&B establishments must ensure that common spaces and items, high-touch surfaces (e.g. counters, menus), interactive components (e.g. iPads, smart kiosks), as well as play areas for children/toddlers/infants are frequently cleaned/disinfected.

      3. Any communal amenities (e.g. drink dispensers and common condiments) must not be used. Self-service food samples must not be provided.

  2. F&B establishments should put up clear signages to remind customers of the above measures (in Para 6) where applicable, and train and deploy service personnel to provide clear communication to customers on safe distancing measures.

  3. Refer toAnnex A [PDF, 42KB] for other recommended guidelines.

Safe Management Measures – Workplace Premises18/Back of House/Kitchen

  1. To ensure COVID-safe workplaces, F&B establishments should take care of their workers, workplaces and those who may become unwell at their workplaces, as outlined inMOM’s Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the workplace.  

  2. For non-customer-facing work-related events, food and drinks should preferably not be served or consumed. If deemed necessary for food and drinks to be provided, attendees must be seated one metre apart, served individually, and should minimise contact with one another while unmasked. Prevailing SMMs as indicated in MOM’s Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the workplace19 continue to apply.

Enforcement of measures

  1. Government agencies will be conducting inspections to check on the proper implementation of the SMMs. Under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act passed in Parliament on 7 April 2020, first-time offenders will face a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. Subsequent offences may face a fine of up to S$20,000, imprisonment of up to twelve months, or both.

  2. Businesses that do not implement or comply with the government’s requirements on safe management measures may be ineligible for government grants, loans, tax rebates and other assistance.

Annex B [PDF, 80 KB] [PDF, 81KB]: Checklist of Safe Management Measures (customer-facing operations)

Thank You.

ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE
HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD
SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY
SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Updated as of 17 November 2020


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1These would be F&B establishments that are issued food shop licences by SFA, except those with SFA food shop licences under the Pubs, Bars, Nightclubs and Discos categories or SSIC codes starting with 5613.

2Public Entertainment activities are as per defined under the Public Entertainments Act.

3The furniture should be kept/secured in such manner after close of business.

4Refer to the advisory at the GoBusiness portal for the SMMs on Marriage Solemnisations and Wedding Receptions.

5Non customer-facing events include conferences, seminars, corporate retreats, etc, while customer-facing events include product launches, F&B establishment openings, marketing/branding events, workshops etc.

6This would exclude the premise staff.

7Refer to MOM’s Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the Workplace.

8F&B establishments may use the bar counters to seat and serve meals to dine-in customers, but must ensure there is at least one-metre spacing between groups of diners.

9Exceptions can only be made if all members of the group are from the same household. These groups can be allowed into the establishment. However, they will need to be seated at multiple tables, with no more than 5 persons per table, and with at least one-metre spacing between the tables. Establishments can request to verify diners’ claims that they are from the same household, and can reject entry of diners at their discretion. For wedding receptions, please refer to the advisory at the GoBusiness portal.

10This also applies to catering companies providing meals on other premises. Catering companies should also take reference from the allowable settings for food consumption – MICE, weddings, work-related events. They must not offer self-service buffet line, but may offer individually packed options instead.

11Except for advisory videos related to safe management measures. Static images and a carousel of static images on a digital screen (e.g. of menus and promotional items) without sound are not considered to be TV/video screenings.

12These play areas refer to the facilities provided free of charge in the shops.

13More information on SafeEntry and a full list of places where SafeEntry must be deployed can be found at https://www.safeentry.gov.sg/deployment. Businesses should note that SafeEntry can be done via QR code/NRIC scanning, or manual entry of NRIC number & particulars through a dedicated device. Businesses should not decline entry to visitors unless the individual does not use SafeEntry QR or SafeEntry NRIC application and refuses to provide particulars to assist with manual entry.

14Individuals with temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius are considered to be having a fever.

15Notable visible symptoms to look out for include: (a) coughing; (b) sneezing; (c) breathlessness; and (d) a runny nose.

16F&B establishments with seated diners in malls need not conduct temperature screening and checks on visible symptoms for customers if the mall is already doing so. They should however do so, if they operate outside the mall hours.

17Under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, every individual must wear a mask over the individual’s nose and mouth at all times when the individual is not in his or her ordinary place of residence. Refer to MOH’s latest guidance for use of masks and face shields at https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/guidance-for-use-of-masks-and-face-shields.

18Refers to the F&B establishments’ back-of-house operations involving employees, including at offices, warehouses and manufacturing facilities.

19Refer to MOM’s Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the Workplace.

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