Enthused by the announcement of an extended deadline, pubs are already witnessing a boom in sales.
On Friday, Home Minister K J George announced that pubs would be allowed to stay open till 1 pm on weekends, and promised a notification in two or three days. Bars and liquor stores can also expect more relaxed deadlines.
Some pubs saw an increase in business by 25-30 per cent on Saturday, but downmarket bars and liquor stores are mulling the implications of the change in norms.
“Our business runs because of repeat customers, who drink because they enjoy it or are addicted to drinking. The party crowd is not as huge as the regular crowd at bars like ours. Many of our customers finish their drinks and leave, never staying late,” said a bar manager in Gutehalli.
In transit places like Kailasipalyam and Majestic, bars and liquor stores keep their registers ringing with the ‘standing’ crowd. Many drinkers here can gulp down a quarter (180 ml) bottle in a jiffy.
“For our customers, there is nothing called nightlife. They are labourers and coolies who work hard all day and come here to put an end to a painful day. Travellers also come here, but they are almost always in a hurry,” said Venkatesh Kumar, a bar supervisor from Kailasipalyam.
Raghuveer, proprietor of Sree Krupa Group which runs bars in transit areas, says, “To extend working hours in such areas means increasing the scope for galata. People come in groups, drink for long hours and start fighting with other customers or among themselves.”
Liquor stores directly compete with downmarket bars. They must now close at 11pm. “But their association is moving the higher-ups for longer hours. They must just provide takeaway, but many serve drinks. While they pay an annual licence fee of Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, a bar pays Rs 7 lakh,” Raghuveer said.
Harsha Kanekal, who owns Dug Out Sports Bar in Koramangala and a bar and restaurant in Vasant Nagar, was contended enough with the earlier timings.
“At Dug Out, we are satisfied with the turnout during the weekends. I am worried about asking the staff to stay extra hours if there is no customer coming in,” he said. That’s not a worry for most bars, which expect drinkers to stay late into the night.
Dug Out will take a decision on whether to extend business hours till 1 am once the deadline is relaxed.
For pub owners, who were vocal about the 11 pm deadline, the extension is a triumph, but they have concerns, too.
“Staff hiring and shift timings will have to be co-ordinated. But once we roll, business will flow parallely,” said the manager of a pub on MG Road.
But Raghunandan, manager at Tilt Gastropub, Koramangala, says staffing is not a problem. “Staff will benefit from the extra service charges. The problem will be that of keeping law and order,” he said.
Clear Demarcation
A ‘wine store’ is strictly retail and has to get a CL 2 licence costing Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. It must to sell liquor at MRP. Closing time is 10.30 pm
A bar can sell liquor to customers in their premises and needs to get a CL 9 licence costing `7 lakh. Closing time is 1 am.
A pub requires a CL9 licence but the tax structure differs, which is the reason for their higher pricing. A beer in a pub costs Rs 215 while in a bar it is about Rs 116.