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

Outlets can apply for longer sales hours on Thursdays, Fridays as part of year-long pilot

- Anjali Raguraman

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 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."

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.