Singapore nightlife spot Blu Jaz Café – near Arab Street – will be having its public entertainment license cancelled by the police from October 22, 2018.
The café will remain open, but it can no longer host live performances.
This is due to two offences of overcrowding and another two offences of failing to ensure its windows and doors remained closed.
Blu Jaz, which is known for hosting indie and jazz music performances, intends to appeal against the decision.
The venue wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday, October 14, that it would also request for the appeal board to postpone the cancellation date pending a review of the decision.
A petition has also been set up to canvas support for its appeal.
Blu Jaz Cafe sales and marketing manager Anuj Kumar told Channel NewsAsia that the cancellation would affect both the local music community as well as tourism in the Haji Lane area.
While the venue acknowledged the offenses that led to the authorities’ action, Kumar said the decision to cancel the licence was harsh. "We are not against the Government at all … they are working for community benefit of course. But is it (cancelling the licence) the solution? Closing down our jazz venue? How many jazz venues are left in Singapore?"
