From nightclub to cinema: Zouk Cinema Club opens its doors from Oct 30

The main room will be transformed into a cinema from Wednesday to Saturday nights. PHOTO: ZOUK CINEMA CLUB
The main room will be transformed into a cinema from Wednesday to Saturday nights. PHOTO: ZOUK CINEMA CLUB
The main room will be transformed into a cinema from Wednesday to Saturday nights. PHOTO: ZOUK CINEMA CLUB

SINGAPORE - From nightclub to cinema, home-grown nightlife institution Zouk is rolling out its pop-up cinematic experience Zouk Cinema Club from Oct 30. It is the latest pivot by the Clarke Quay venue in a pandemic that has put a halt to regular nightclub operations.

Complete with popcorn from Garrett, champagne and house pour spirits, the main room will be transformed into a cinema from Wednesday to Saturday nights. Open from 6pm to 10.30pm, there will be one screening session per night showing two movies.

Films in its opening month will be on the theme of For The Love Of Music, with the space decorated to mimic the cobbled streets of Montmartre, Paris, and the famous Red Mill of the Moulin Rouge cabaret. The likes of Moulin Rouge (2001), Grease (1978) and The Greatest Showman (2017) are in the line-up of musical films for November.

In line with Halloween, however, The Sixth Sense (1999) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) will be shown this week.

The capacity is capped at 50 people and 14 tables a night. Table packages are priced at $75++ for one to two people on Wednesdays, including a jug of house pour spirits or the club's signature Long Island Iced Tea. For bigger groups of three to five people, the experience costs $175++ and comes with three jugs.

From Thursday to Saturday, table packages are more expensive, priced at $150++ (one to two people with a bottle of champagne) and $350++ (three to five people with a bottle of champagne and premium vodka).

Entry is restricted to those aged 18 and above and those interested can register at this website.

On the move to transform the club into a cinema, Zouk Group chief executive Andrew Li said: "Zouk is a first mover in many things and we are just trying to think out of the box to create experiences for the audience here, in line with evolving into a 360-degree lifestyle destination."

Earlier, Zouk had rolled out Capital Kitchen - transforming the Capital Lounge into a restaurant serving Western and Asian dishes in July. They also started daily spin classes by Absolute Cycle earlier this month (October).

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As with other cinema halls, checking in with the TraceTogether app or token is compulsory. This means that guests will no longer be able to gain entry by scanning SafeEntry QR codes with their phone cameras, the Singpass mobile app, or bar codes on their NRICs.

To comply with safe distancing and health and safety measures, hand sanitiser is available on the premises, and the cleaning crew will sanitised shared surfaces every 30 minutes.

The drinking experience will also be different. Zouk says that covers will be used for ice buckets, and lids will be used to cover glasses and champagne flutes at all times. Guests are also advised to stick to using one glass or flute and not to share drinks.

The roll-out of Zouk Cinema Club comes as the closure of nightlife venues like clubs, karaoke joints and bars without food licences enters its eighth consecutive month.

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