SINGAPORE — The licensee behind Gemma Steakhouse — a restaurant at the National Gallery Singapore — was fined S$14,000 on Wednesday (May 19) for breaking safe management rules by holding a Halloween-themed dinner involving 75 people during Phase Two of Singapore’s economic reopening last year. 

In a statement, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that the fine was imposed in court on food and beverage operator Il Lido.

SFA said that the agency received information on the dinner on Nov 2 last year, two days after it was held, on Oct 31, which is Halloween.

Investigations found that the restaurant had worked with a private members’ club to organise the dinner which was attended by about 75 people. These include members of the club and their guests.

Closed-circuit television footage showed multiple instances of intermingling among the diners from the different tables even though they were seated in groups of five.

“The footage also showed that the restaurant staff did not take reasonable steps to prevent the intermingling between diners from different tables,” said SFA.

The authority added that Gemma Steakhouse had breached the safe management rules in place by first accepting the large booking for the dinner. It also failed to take reasonable steps to prevent intermingling among the diners.

When the breach was discovered last year, the restaurant was ordered to close for 20 days.

SFA said that the Government takes a serious view of flagrant breaches of the safe management measures.

“While the majority has been adhering to the measures, it is regrettable that there remains a minority who continue to breach (the rules).

“SFA will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action against operators and individuals who treat the safe management measures with flagrant disregard,” it said.

Under section 34(7) of the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, first-time offenders can be fined a maximum of S$10,000, jailed up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders face harsher punishments.

Asked why a S$14,000 fine had been imposed when the maximum penalty for a first-time offence is S$10,000, SFA said that Il Lido was fined for two charges. 

The first was for accepting a large booking for the Halloween-themed dinner, and the second for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent intermingling among diners.

“The maximum fine of S$10,000 applies to each charge,” said SFA.

SFA added that investigations of the diners who had breached the safe management measures have been completed, and enforcement actions will be taken against them.