(UPDATE: This story has been updated at 2230hrs on Feb. 13 to include Haidilao's statement.)

The license of a food shop at 3D River Valley Road has been suspended by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for public health offences.

According to this Suspension Notice on NEA's website, the outlet accumulated 12 demerit points over the last 12 months.

As a result:

• It was fined $800.
• Its license was suspended for two weeks from Feb. 10 to Feb. 23.

Its address was given as 3D River Valley Road #02-04 Singapore 179023.

According to the NEA, the following offences were committed: Handled food with bare hands and sold food which was unclean.

Hai Di Lao Hotpot?

A check on the website of restaurant chain Haidilao Hot Pot shows that the address of the affected outlet stated by NEA matches that of their Clarke Quay branch.

When the Clarke Quay branch was contacted on Feb. 13, no one answered.

However, a representative of Haidilao's 313 Branch at Orchard Road said on Feb. 13 that the branch at Clarke Quay is being closed for about "20 days" for "renovation".

This matches the two-week period of suspension of its license.

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Previous offence

The hotpot chain is popular in both China and Singapore. It currently has seven outlets in Singapore.

But Haidilao has previously made the news for food hygiene offences.

In Aug. 2017, an employee of Haidilao's was found to have used bare hands to handle food.

According to the NEA, a licensee that accumulates 12 demerit points or more in a 12-month period may see their license suspended for two weeks, four weeks, or cancelled altogether.

All food handlers working in the suspended outlet would also be required to attend and pass the Basic Food Hygiene Course again before they can go back to work.

Mothership has contacted NEA for comment.

Haidilao's statement

On Feb. 13, Haidilao issued a statement in Mandarin that made the following points:

• The two incidents reported by NEA occurred in Aug. and Sept. 2017.
• The first was the case of a staff member cutting watermelon without gloves, the second was the case of a sweet beancurd appetiser found to be unclean.
• The branch manager of the Clarke Quay outlet left the company in Dec. 2017.
• The Clarke Quay Branch is indeed undergoing renovation during the period of suspension. It will reopen in April.

Top image from Haidilao Singapore's Facebook page

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