Kolkata Bars and Restaurants Forced to Close Amid Election Liquor Ban
In response to the Election Commission's prohibition on liquor sales for nine and a half days during the ongoing elections in West Bengal, a significant number of bars-cum-restaurants in key areas of Kolkata have opted to temporarily shut down. The move aims to mitigate substantial financial losses incurred during the commission-imposed dry days.
Sector V Hit Hardest with Multiple Closures
The most severely impacted locality is Sector V, where approximately 20 establishments have decided to close their doors for the time being. This is followed by New Town, with several outlets also shutting down. In south Kolkata, around four to five such bars-cum-restaurants have taken similar measures. With customer footfall drastically reduced, many of these venues have begun closing as early as the evening hours.
Pranav Singh, secretary of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI), explained that outlets heavily reliant on liquor sales are particularly affected. "In some restaurants on Park Street, such as Peter Cat, Mocambo, Bar-B-Q, and Kwality, food sales are also pretty high. A drop in footfall at such restaurants has relatively been less," he noted, highlighting the disparity between establishments with diverse revenue streams and those dependent on alcohol.
Business Plummets to Mere 5% of Normal Sales
Malay Dutta, a partner at Opium Bar & Restaurant, a prominent establishment in Sector V, reported that business on Monday and Tuesday was a mere 5% of their typical daily sales. "It is difficult to sustain with this kind of business. We will shut shop by 7 pm. A lot of bars in the area have been shut since Tuesday," he added, underscoring the unsustainable nature of operations under the ban.
Pranab Mukherjee, manager of Barcode in Sector V, shared that after receiving a call from the excise department to keep the bar closed on April 20, he decided to temporarily shut down. "We had bought raw materials on April 20 that will go to waste. Our outlet will open again on April 24. I have never experienced such a situation in the past 33 years," he lamented, pointing to the unprecedented challenges faced by the industry.
Liquor-Dependent Establishments Face Severe Losses
Monesh Deb, operation manager of Bistro Y, a resto-pub in Sector V, emphasized that most similar establishments in the area depend heavily on liquor sales. "We have closed our outlet for the time being. As people have a lot of options of street food in Sector V, they hardly ever visit places like ours for lunch. Most come for a drink, along with food. So if drink is not served, why would anyone come?" he questioned, adding that 40 litres of their draught beer would be wasted due to the closure.
Sohon Saha, owner of The Spirits, a resto-bar in Sector V, echoed these concerns, stating they are receiving hardly any business. "Being a lounge bar, over 80% of our business is drink-related. We will make losses even on Friday, as we may not be allowed to stay open till our usual time of 2 am," he explained, highlighting the extended impact on operations.
In New Town, Ranojay Pramanik, owner of Booze, has also kept his resto-bar shut on the dry days amid a significant drop in business, further illustrating the widespread effect of the liquor ban across Kolkata's hospitality sector.
