URA keeps rules disallowing live music in pubs located near homes

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 20 Jul 2009

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has decided to keep the existing guidelines where live music and performances are not allowed in restaurants and pubs located in private shophouses near residential estates.

URA’s decision followed the feedback it received from a public consultation exercise. It launched an online survey in September last year to gather the public’s views on the planning guidelines for restaurants, pubs and food shops located in private shophouses near residential estates.

Some of the feedback sought included whether live entertainment activities should be allowed in restaurants.

About 250 responded to the survey, including residents of private residential estates, business operators and members of the public.

Some 80 percent of the respondents, especially residents living near private shophouses, did not support having live music and performances in restaurants and pubs within these shophouses, due to the potential noise disturbances and social problems to the nearby residents.

The respondents were also consulted on the type of food preparation that should be allowed in food shops. Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed supported having simple food preparation in the food shops.

Hence, URA has decided to relax the guidelines to allow food shop operators to carry out simple food preparation, such as steaming, baking and microwaving, without the need to seek URA permission. But operators must comply with the National Environment Agency’s environmental health and hygiene requirements.

Currently, retail shops that sell takeaway food with some ancillary food preparation (for example, curry puffs and rice dumplings) must seek permission from URA to ensure that the food preparation activities are kept small scale and do not cause any amenity problems.