{"id":29775,"date":"2026-02-19T23:01:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=29775"},"modified":"2026-02-19T23:01:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:01:41","slug":"sentosa-beach-club-tipsy-unicorn-closes-down-after-operator-is-wound-up-by-high-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=29775","title":{"rendered":"Sentosa beach club Tipsy Unicorn closes down after operator is wound up by High Court"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE \u2013 <!-- -->The operator of the now-shuttered Sentosa beach club Tipsy Unicorn has been wound up by the High Court, with liquidators moving in to assess debts owed to creditors.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">On Jan 23, Justice Chionh Sze Chyi ordered privately held operator Tipsy Bird into compulsory liquidation after a winding-up application was filed by UOB. Two insolvency practitioners from BDO Advisory were subsequently appointed as joint and several liquidators.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Court documents seen by The Straits Times showed that UOB is seeking to recover more than $96,000 in debt plus interest from Tipsy Bird. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">However, this may not be the extent of Tipsy Bird\u2019s full liabilities, the liquidators said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In response to queries from The Straits Times in February, they noted that without the Statement of Affairs, which sets out a company\u2019s financial position at the point of collapse, they <!-- -->could not<!-- --> determine the total liabilities owed to creditors, or how many parties may be affected. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe directors of the company have not come forward to apprise the liquidators of the affairs of the company,\u201d they said, adding that this remained the position as at Feb 16. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">According to the liquidators, Tipsy Bird operated Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club at 36 Siloso Beach Walk. Based on their preliminary investigations, the licences required to operate the outlet \u2013 including those for the sale of food and liquor and for aquatic facilities \u2013 were under Tipsy Bird\u2019s name at the time the winding-up order was made. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">They added that the landlord has since exercised its right to take back possession of the premises. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), the landlord of Tipsy Unicorn\u2019s premises, confirmed on Feb 19 that the club had ceased operations as of Jan 30. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSentosa Development Corporation remains committed to curating a diverse mix of beach and lifestyle concepts on Sentosa and is in discussions with potential operators to introduce refreshed experiences over time,\u201d an SDC spokesperson said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">When ST visited the beachfront venue on Feb 18, the outlet was shuttered. A notice at the entrance stated that Tipsy Unicorn had ceased operations at the location with effect from Jan 30. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">On Instagram, where the beach club has more than 10,000 followers, its profile description now reads \u201ctemporarily closed\u201d. Attempts to make reservations on its website during its usual operating hours showed no available slots. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The closure appears to be abrupt. On Jan 26 \u2013 four days before operations ceased \u2013 the beach club had posted an Instagram reel promoting its Booze, Beats &amp; BBQ event \u201chappening every last Sunday of the month\u201d. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"default inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/94c6b35593d6c82f3c6da0cf1f778a1fdd823defb7f9d14954f1a7a4ec3b2d7f?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/94c6b35593d6c82f3c6da0cf1f778a1fdd823defb7f9d14954f1a7a4ec3b2d7f?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/94c6b35593d6c82f3c6da0cf1f778a1fdd823defb7f9d14954f1a7a4ec3b2d7f?w=900\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/94c6b35593d6c82f3c6da0cf1f778a1fdd823defb7f9d14954f1a7a4ec3b2d7f\" alt=\"\" class=\"aspect-default flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover default article-default mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 flex flex-col gap-08 py-16 desktop:pb-24\">\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-secondary\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">A notice at the entrance stating that Tipsy Unicorn had ceased operations at the location with effect from Jan 30.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-placeholder\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\">ST PHOTO: VIHANYA RAKSHIKA<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Corporate records show that Tipsy Bird was incorporated in October 2018, with its principal activity listed as restaurants. Its sole shareholder is local hospitality group Tipsy Collective. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority BizFile records as at Feb 19 show <!-- -->that <!-- -->Tipsy Bird is under compulsory liquidation, while Tipsy Collective remains live. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Tipsy Unicorn, according to a 2023 Facebook post by Tipsy Collective, opened<!-- --> on<!-- --> Sentosa<!-- --> on Sept 1, 2023. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Tipsy Collective, which runs several food and beverage outlets including Tipsy Unicorn, Tipsy Penguin and Tipsy Bird, has not updated its Facebook page since late October 2025. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Tipsy Collective has been embroiled in several controversies over the past few years since its co-founder and former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/tipsy-collective-co-founder-derek-ong-dies-at-age-35?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">group chief executive, Mr Derek Ong, died<\/p>\n<p><\/a> at age 35 in August 2023. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Development<!-- --> costs for Tipsy Unicorn on Sentosa in 2023 exceeded the initial budget,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/legal-battle-for-tipsy-collective-continues-defendants-claim-firm-owes-millions-in-debt?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\"> ballooning from $3 million to $6 million,<\/p>\n<p><\/a> even as shareholders cautioned that the venture posed significant financial risks. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In May 2024, a legal battle began for control of Tipsy Collective following the death of Mr Ong.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The group had previously owed more than 100 employees their October 2024 salaries, but subsequently completed paying them off by mid-November that year, after four shareholders injected an undisclosed amount of money to rescue the business. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In a Facebook post dated Aug 18, 2025, Tipsy Collective invited those interested in booking event spaces to contact the group to reserve the Tipsy Unicorn premises on Sentosa. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">ST has tried to contact Tipsy Collective, Tipsy Unicorn and Tipsy Bird via phone calls, e-mails, Instagram messages and LinkedIn messages, but did not receive any response. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/business\/sentosa-beach-club-tipsy-unicorn-shuts-after-operator-is-wound-up-by-high-court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE \u2013 The operator of the now-shuttered Sentosa beach club Tipsy Unicorn has been wound up by the High Court, with liquidators moving in to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}