For most of its 173 years in business, the Men’s Bar at the Singapore Cricket Club admitted, as its name suggests, only men.This changed in 2006 when it opened its doors to all patrons 10 years after women were granted voting rights at the club, located at the Padang.The name has since become a point of contention among some members. Different groups in the past few years have pushed to change it to something new, or to change it back.Most recently, a group of 53 members called for a special general meeting on Sept 23 to rename the bar. They wrote a letter to the club’s president to request the session, some five months after the annual general meeting.Led by Mr Suresh Shankar and Ms Zaibun Siraj, the group felt that the name Men’s Bar was not inclusive and did not reflect the equality and progress of Singapore today.They tabled a resolution for the name to be “immediately replaced with a new and neutral name to be chosen by members”, suggesting “1852” – the year the club was established – or “Captain’s Bar”.In the end, 53.49 per cent of those who were registered for the meeting voted against the change. Read more