90-100% fall in customers, black day for liquor industry, say owners

IN THE wake of the Supreme Court order banning sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways, owners of bars, restaurants, hotels and pubs in Gurgaon reported a “90-100 per cent” fall in customers.

Among those worst affected were microbreweries such as Vapour Bar Exchange. Two of its branches — at Sector 29 and Sohna Road respectively — have been badly hit. While the former has been around for a year-and-ahalf, the latter opened just eight months ago.

“We saw a 97-98 per cent reduction in footfall on Saturday as a result of non-availability of liquor. People came to both branches but decided not to stay when they realised alcohol was not being served,” Vikram Rana, founder of Vapour Bar Exchange, said.

Similarly, Rahul Singh, founder and CEO of The Beer Café, which has 40 outlets across the country, said five of its branches — one each in Pune, Thane and Mohali, and two in Gurgaon — have been affected by the ban.

“We saw a reduction of almost 100 per cent in our customers on Saturday... If the Excise department's decision stands, we will have no option but to relocate. I cannot stop serving alcohol at a place called The Beer Café; it cannot be turned into a restaurant or anything,” he said.

He added that it would cost crores to set up a new outlet, after taking into account the rent, licences, safety checks and other considerations.

Singh, who is also the head of the National Restaurant Association of India’s (NRAI), Haryana Chapter, added that it is unfair to club liquor vends with bars and restaurants that require licences and other formalities.

“Retail and sale are two different things, you cannot club the two. At our outlets, we regulate the atmosphere and take responsibility by ensuring we stop serving when the alcohol begins to hit people. People drink and then leave, they don’t just pick up alcohol and drive away. The two are very different things” he said.

At a press conference following a meeting on Sunday between different bodies — including the NRAI and The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Haryana (HRAH) — officials from the hospitality industry called it a “black day” for the liquor industry.

While calling for a “stricter implementation of the law” on drunken driving, they also expressed apprehensions about how the ban will affect employment, as well as areas such as foreign tourism.

Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director of Bird Group, said, “Even the wedding industry will be affected by this because most of the venues, such as hotels and farmhouses, are located within 500 metres of the highway.”

Two special committees, headed by the two sub-divisional magistrates, are considering the matter of “disputed areas” such as Cyberhub, Ambience Mall and Sector 29.

Officials from the Excise department said they will pronounce their final verdict after measuring the distance of the debated outlets from the highway. The same will be revealed in the coming “one or two days”, they added.

Meanwhile, officials from the hospitality industry said they will not move court for “at least a week”, and intend to hold talks with various state governments, as well as the Centre, in an attempt to find a solution to the issue.

Two special committees, headed by the two SDMS, are considering the matter of “disputed areas” such as Cyberhub, Ambience Mall and Sector 29