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SINGAPORE \u2013Three eateries at Warren Golf and Country Club have temporarily ceased operations from Nov 12 until further notice, according to a notice posted on its Telegram channel. <\/p>\n
This follows an Oct 28 notice by the club informing members about its plan to outsource three of its eateries \u2013 Golfers\u2019 Terrace, Water Hazard and Starter Hut \u2013 to food-specialist operator Jun Hang F&B. <\/p>\n
It noted that the club will work closely with the new operator to minimise disruption to members and guests during the transition period. <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery effort will be made with Jun Hang to re-employ as many existing F&B (food and beverage) staff as possible. A compensation package will also be provided to affected staff,\u201d it said. <\/p>\n
But the new operator, which was supposed to start operations on Nov 12, was unable to do so as planned due to \u201cmanpower challenges\u201d, according to another notice posted on Nov 9 at around 11pm.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt now appears that the outsourcing arrangement with Jun Hang will not materialise,\u201d the management committee said. <\/p>\n
Two former staff who declined to be named told The Straits Times that 28 F&B staff and an employee from the purchasing department received termination letters on Oct 29. They were not given any severance or retrenchment payouts, and some had worked in the club for more than two decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former employees said they contacted the Attractions, Resorts and Entertainment Union, and that both the union and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) intervened on their behalf, which led to them receiving their retrenchment packages on Nov 10 and 11. <\/p>\n
On Nov 10, a reminder notice was put up to inform club members that the Golfers\u2019 Terrace and Water Hazard would close early, at 7pm on Nov 11, and remain closed until further notice. <\/p>\n
\u201cI felt sad. Yesterday (Nov 11) was our last day, and it was not an easy day for me. It\u2019s not easy to find a job during the November and December period,\u201d a former staff member said. <\/p>\n
Mr Glenford Tan, 49, who has been a country club member since he was a young child, said the move was \u201cextremely disappointing\u201d. His father and children are club members too. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe were a community, and overnight, the staff are gone. People have lost their livelihoods at the end of the year, and they may not be able to find other jobs easily,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs members, we are looking for answers on who is responsible and why this happened.\u201d <\/p>\n
The golf course, country club and two other eateries, Yan Palace and Italian Patio, remain open. <\/p>\n
The club said in its Oct 28 notice that since it took over operations of the three eateries from food manufacturer JR Group in 2017, it has been incurring operating losses every year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2024 alone, the deficit amounted to $337,000,\u201d it said, adding that it hoped the new operator could improve the club\u2019s financial position. <\/p>\n
This is despite the club having expected to generate about $15,000 a month in rental income from Jun Hang F&B.<\/p>\n
The outsourcing contract was awarded to Jun Hang F&B on Oct 1 after a \u201cdetailed evaluation process\u201d.<\/p>\n
The golf club\u2019s Telegram channel has more than 2,000 subscribers.<\/p>\n
Jun Hang F&B currently operates the Golfers\u2019 Terraces at Orchid Country Club, National Service Resort and Country Club at Changi and Kranji.<\/p>\n
On July 7, the Ministry of Law said that the leases or tenancies of Mandai Executive Golf Course, Warren Golf and Country Club, Orchid Country Club and Tanah Merah Country Club\u2019s Garden Course would not be renewed, as <\/p>\n their land is needed for future plans.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Warren Golf and Country Club has a lease that expires in October 2030, and its sites has been zoned for residential use, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority\u2019s Draft Master Plan 2025.<\/p>\n ST has contacted Warren Golf and Country Club, National Trades Union Congress and MOM for comment. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n