Hood Vibes, the cafe in Yishun that has been perceived as being a drinking hole, said it has a licence to sell alcohol but it is not a pub.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the cafe owner said it is a cafe with an alcohol licence, and not a pub.
Hood Vibes/Google Maps
The owner, a woman who did not want to be named, said the cafe only operates from 11am until 10pm.
The owner added that the cafe does not play loud music: "We do not have live performances, and we only play soft background music. We are only a simply cafe, otherwise we won't be open from the morning. We also sell pasta, chicken chop, and sushi etc."
The recent post by Nee Soon GRC MP Derrick Goh had affected her business negatively, said the owner.
According to the owner, the post by Goh was misleading. A previous spot check by the relevant authority did not yield anything negative.
Hood Vibes/Google Maps
She said she would be meeting Goh to discuss the matter on Aug. 21.
Regarding the late night noise complaints, the owner said it probably came from other neighbours.
She said: "We go home after 10pm. What the residents heard could have been noise from other neighbours... it should not be us."
Hood Vibes said on Aug. 17 that it is closed until further notice.
What happened
Goh posted about the cafe on Aug. 15, claiming that it had potentially breached its licensing conditions.
When he visited the cafe with HDB officers, they apparently expressed their surprise at "what was clearly a liquor joint".
Derrick Goh/Facebook
A resident of Block 469A Yishun Street 43, which is the neighbouring block, claimed that there had been complaints of patrons smoking outside the place and creating noise.
Since the cafe opened, residents with children also apparently "have to walk a longer route away from the area" when heading to or leaving their home to avoid the patrons smoking there, said the resident.
Hood Vibes has not responded to Mothership's request for comment.
Top images: Hood Vibes/Google Maps, Derrick Goh/Facebook