Other operators cited similar reasons for applying, saying their toilets required upgrades due to heavy usage and wear and tear. Some said renovation was a way to comply with standards and avoid enforcement action.
Under SFA’s Points Demerit System, coffee shops can incur demerit points for toilet-related lapses. Accumulating 12 points within a year can trigger a one- to three-day suspension.
Mr Kenneth Lee, who owns Hai Fong coffee shop in Toa Payoh, has not been fined by authorities yet, but acknowledged that his toilets were not “up to standards”.
“My toilet is quite old – the last renovation was about 10 years ago and it was just a touch-up. So it’s time to do a renovation because the usage for the toilet is very heavy,” he said.
