Unless you are a big spender or a regular face on the premises, chances are you won't be offered any "extra" or "special" services. In other words, you have to be a VIP guest if you are expecting some action inside the bars, better known as "clubs" and "pubs" to those familiar with the premises. Those who spoke to The New Paper on Sunday agreed to do so only on condition that we do not name them.
These include a former mamasan who was convicted in and patrons, some with girls, that we cornered at popular supper spots in Geylang and Havelock Road. We also spoke to a bouncer who retired in after working in the industry for nearly 40 years. All of them refused to name the bars. Instead, they offered only road names and generic areas such as Jalan Besar, Geylang and Orchard. There are basically three categories of clubs, says the ex-bouncer, who has worked in more than 15 clubs.
He says in a mix of Mandarin and Hokkien: "You got the lup sup Hokkien for dirty bars in the lowest class, where the girls charge less for their services. At these bars, the patrons are mostly the blue-collar workers. He adds that some pubs have cubicles that allow their patrons some form of privacy.
Women will activate a smoke machine when they get intimate with clients. Some operators also install security cameras, which allow them to monitor the activities inside the club.
He says: "Other than watching out for the cops, the feeds also allow the operators to ensure that the girls are not being harassed or engaging in sexual activities without informing the management and pocketing the money. But many pub operators prefer not to allow sexual activities inside their establishments as they don't want to risk being busted, he points out.
