Editor’s Note: The following article has been updated to reflect the latest statement from Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).
The Tipsy Bird is owned by local hospitality group the Tipsy Collective, which has faced years of legal wrangling.
Sentosa beach club The Tipsy Unicorn ceased operations after its operator was ordered wound up by the High Court of Singapore.
According to the report of The Straits Timesthe site’s operator, Tipsy Bird, was arrested on January 23 this year after United Overseas Bank (UOB) filed for bankruptcy. Court documents seen by this publication show that the bank wants to recover the loan and interest of more than S$96,000.
However, traders shared that this may not represent the company’s full liabilities. Without the Company’s Statement of Affairs, they cannot determine the total amount owed or how many creditors are involved.
As of February 16, the company’s directors have not succeeded in informing the stockholders about the company’s financial affairs.
Sellers also noted that Tipsy Bird operates the Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club at 36 Siloso Beach Walk. Following the closure order, the owner of the property, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), exercised its right to repossess the property.
In response to a Vulcan Post media inquiries, SDC confirmed that the beach club ceased operations on Jan 30, adding that they are currently in discussions with potential tenants.
“Guests can continue to look forward to a vibrant beach experience in Sentosa, with new concepts and enhancements planned as part of our ongoing efforts to revitalize the destination,” said an SDC spokesperson.
When the publication visited the location on Feb 18, the outlet was closed, with a notice on the door saying it had stopped operating as of January 30. Its Instagram page is also marked as “temporarily closed,” and checks Vulcan Post on Feb 20 indicated that bookings were no longer available on its website.
The closure follows years of legal wrangling
Corporate records show that Tipsy Bird is owned by local group Tipsy Collective, which has remained a going concern since Feb. 19.
According to the group’s Facebook post, Tipsy Unicorn opened in Sentosa on September 1, 2023, and was in operation for about three years before its closure.
The closure and court order comes after years of legal wrangling since the death of founder Derek Ong in Aug 2023.
While the other founder, David Gan, remained involved in the business, concerns over financial mismanagement and lack of transparency caused shareholders to fall out with him, including opposition to the development of the Sentosa beach club.
The project’s budget has reportedly doubled from S$3 million to S$6 million. Other concerns include debts of up to S$5.2 million owed to suppliers, contractors and creditors. Tipsy Collective allegedly owed SDC about S$1 million.
After the controversy, Gan was fired on Nov 6, 2024. But the problems did not stop being made.
In Nov 2024, it was reported that more than 100 workers allegedly did not receive their salaries for Oct 2024. They were finally paid in January 2025 after the shareholders put in new funds.
More testing with Vulcan Post indicated that the Tipsy Collective website is no longer available, although their social media pages remain active.
Vulcan Post reached out to Tipsy Collective for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
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Featured Image Credit: Tipsy Unicorn
