It’s just another Wednesday evening for 41-year Christina Soh, who works in account management – she's taken her two Jack Russell terriers to an indoor dog pool for their monthly hour-long swim. After drying off Summer and Bailey post-swim, Ms Soh will head to one of the pet-friendly restaurants nearby for dinner, and afterwards she might stop by FairPrice Finest to pick up groceries before making her way home.What might surprise many is where this monthly routine is taking place: Clarke Quay, once the heart of Singapore's nightlife scene that was synonymous with pub crawls, nightclubs and late-night revelry."I wouldn't have come to Clarke Quay for any reason other than for my dogs … there aren't many pet-friendly places in Singapore," said Ms Soh, a Singaporean.
An indoor dog swimming club, Mutts & Mittens Active, located in CQ @ Clarke Quay, on Jun 17, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ili Mansor)
It's a sign of how much Clarke Quay has changed. Over the last four years, the area has been evolving: While bars and clubs still line the waterfront, they now share the precinct with businesses such as music retailer Swee Lee, indoor dog pool Fort Canine Swimming Club and gyms.And for good reason – both consumers and experts agree that Singapore's nightlife will likely never be the same again, as it has been battered by restrictions on alcohol sales and consumption, rising transport costs that are pushing patrons home earlier, and evolving consumer preferences that are tending towards fewer boozy nights out and more sober, novel experiences.When CNA TODAY visited Clarke Quay between June 15 and June 21, weekday evenings – except Friday – were noticeably subdued. Many restaurants had only a handful of occupied tables, while the busiest venue looked to be FairPrice Finest, with its buzzy Grocer Bar and food hall. The whole area was more crowded closer to midnight on Friday and over the weekend, helped by Zouk’s reopening last week following a major revamp of the nightclub.
