Nightclubs see bigger crowds with masks now optional, but unsure if good times will last

PARTYGOERS came out in greater numbers over the first weekend that masks were no longer required in most indoor settings in Singapore, but nightlife operators are mixed on whether this will be a one-off spike or a sustained rise in demand.

“There was definitely an increase in the number of patrons that came to the club last weekend after the (rules were lifted). We also got to see more new patrons — usually, there will be regulars, but last weekend we saw more new faces,” said Maggie Jna, director of Club Rumours.

Many patrons had been waiting for the indoor mask mandate to be removed – which happened on Aug 29 – before coming out for a night of revelry, said Jna. She estimates that the nightclub saw about a 20 to 30 per cent increase in turnout last weekend, though this was still below pre-pandemic levels.