Liquor licences for F&B, nightlife venues extended to 4am in Boat Quay, Clarke Quay

[SINGAPORE] Restaurant-bars, pubs, bars and nightclubs in the Boat Quay and Clarke Quay area will be able to apply for extension of liquor licences till 4am on Thursdays and Fridays come Aug 18, as part of a year-long pilot programme aimed at revitalising the area.

Businesses will also be allowed to submit proposals for new bars, pubs and nightclubs along the Boat Quay waterfront, Circular Road, Lorong Telok and Canton Street, ending a 16-year moratorium on new nightlife venues in the historic district.

Circular Road will soon also resume being a car-free zone for events and pedestrian-friendly activities on weekend evenings and the eve of public holidays.

The regulatory changes follow feedback from stakeholders on the vibrancy of the Boat Quay precinct and neighbouring areas, and are in line with ongoing efforts to provide opportunities for businesses in the city centre, said the authorities.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday (Aug 7), Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said the Government had been in discussions with the Singapore Nightlife Business Association (SNBA) and Singapore River One (SRO) on ways to revitalise Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.

“We’ve been looking at how to make sure the place is lively – it’s part of the attraction of Singapore as a whole,” he said. “As part of the feedback after looking at it, we decided to make some changes.”

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SRO is a private sector-led partnership tasked to carry out placemaking for the Singapore River precinct through various activities in the areas of Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay.

In 2009, various measures were introduced in the area to address law-and-order concerns such as disorderly conduct. These included shortened liquor licensing hours and the limiting of new licences for nightlife establishments.

“The law-and-order situation at Boat Quay has remained stable over the last few years,” the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Ministry of National Development said in a joint statement on Aug 7.

Even as the Government relaxes its regulatory stance towards the precinct, the safety and security of visitors to these areas remains a priority, said the ministries.

On their part, the authorities will work with local businesses to ensure they take more responsibility for the vicinity’s law-and-order situation, which includes stepping up private security deployment and infrastructure security measures.

“The respective agencies will also work with local stakeholders to ensure responsible management of the nightlife spaces and public areas at these locations,” the statement added.

Shanmugam said that while broader security arrangements will always be provided for by the police, the authorities have also asked business owners to “take some responsibility”.

“It’s a balance – we open up more, we can expect more incidents and we want to make sure that it doesn’t get out of hand... SRO has committed to having these security deployments and also some contingency plans in place, and we will monitor the outcomes,” added the minister.

Under the pilot programme, the police will consider applications for extended liquor trading hours from businesses with relevant planning permissions from the URA, namely pubs, bars, nightclubs, and restaurant-hybrid venues that are considered a restaurant and bar.

Those keen on starting a new bar, pub or nightclub along the Boat Quay waterfront, Circular Road, Lorong Telok and Canton Street can also apply to do so. Approved proposals for new nightlife uses in the applicable areas may be granted temporary permission for up to three years.

As for the new car-free zone in Circular Road, it will be closed on Friday and Saturday evenings and the eve of public holidays from a date to be announced.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Alvin Tan said the relaxation of measures for businesses along the Singapore River adds to broader plans to encourage more tourist attractions in Singapore. MTI oversees the Singapore Tourism Board.

“I’ve been speaking to SNBA and SRO to see how we can better partner them to make use of the many Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events, like the Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, to bring global tourists to Boat Quay and liven up the area,” said Tan.

The Car-Free Zone initiative, first implemented in 2013, was part of efforts to inject life into public spaces and enhance the vibrancy of the area. Streets such as Haji Lane, Club Street and Ann Siang Hill, Circular Road and Liang Seah Street had in the past been temporarily pedestrianised on the weekends.

The road closures were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic but were resumed in July 2022 in Kampong Gelam and Liang Seah Street.

Various agencies will facilitate SRO’s proposal to resume the regular closure of Circular Road, said the authorities.

Welcoming the major relaxation of rules, SNBA and SRO said the extension of trading hours would greatly help businesses.

“This gives us a fighting chance for nightlife,” said SRO executive director Michelle Koh, who noted that longer liquor sales hours would mean more revenue.

“It also gives us an opportunity to engage with the landlords, to rethink concepts of what we want to bring in as well,” she added. “This has allowed us some wiggle room to rethink the perception of Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.”

Allowing new venues to open would also help build new communities and experiences, said SNBA president Danny Loong. The association represents over 200 nightlife businesses.

If the pilot is successful, Loong hopes it can be extended to other precincts. “Our members cut across all parts of Singapore.” THE STRAITS TIMES