SINGAPORE: Two Central Mall Clarke Quay restaurants have been ordered to shut their doors for two weeks to ensure food safety and hygiene standards.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) website has identified the affected establishments as Central Mall Coffeehouse and Oyster Co., which have remained closed since Thursday (May 25) and will not be permitted to resume operations until June 8.

Both restaurants fall under the purview of the same licensee, Skydance. The website further revealed that another eatery owned by Skydance, Sushi Co., may also be impacted based on the listed address provided by the Food Bureau.

The licensee responsible for the aforementioned restaurants incurred 12 demerit points and a fine of $800 within 12 months, as documented on the agency’s website.

Under the regulations, license holders who accumulate 12 or more demerit points within the same time frame may face suspension from business for either two or four weeks or even have their license revoked.

Furthermore, to ensure the highest food safety standards, all food handlers in the affected restaurants must retake relevant courses and pass Level 1 of the food safety certification before resuming their duties.

Additionally, if the restaurants employ food hygiene personnel, the licensee must ensure they complete the Food Safety Course Level 3 and obtain a passing grade.

SFA emphasizes the importance of observing proper food and personal hygiene practices, urging caterers only to employ qualified food handlers. The statutory board added that it would not hesitate to take severe action against those who violate the regulations and fail to uphold public health and safety standards.