February 25: All you party animals will have to swing to the tune of psephologists this week. Well, that's the only option you have with the Election Commission declaring a ``dry'' spell of six days starting today and pubs across the city reacting by simply downing their shutters.Most of the city's famous watering holes have decided to put this break in business to productive use. For Three Flights Up renovation is out as it is a fairly new place but the maintenance crew will be busy revving the place up. Says Alban D'Mello, manager, ``It is unprofitable to open the place as only 20 people will come.'' Most of the staff is being sent on a paid leave but a lot more money will be lost than six days' salaries. ``Our approximate turnover is Rs 25 lakh a week, so this will be a big loss,'' says D'Mello.
A D Singh, manager, Copa Cabana is not too happy about the situation either. But he is making full use of this forced holiday. Their long overdue expansion plans will be set in motion with maintenance on theside. Though Singh is unwilling to say how much money the pub will lose, with over 300 people coming in every night and spending a conservative estimate of Rs 400 per head, the loss will run into lakhs.
And it is these huge impending losses which drove Indians Hotels and Restaurants Association to appeal to the High Court. While there is a buzz that the number of dry days will be cut down to four, a formal notice is yet to arrive. The Taj Hotel, meanwhile, is sealing all its bars. Said a spokesperson, ``While our disc 1900s while not be closed, no liquor will be served at all. Even the mini bars in the rooms will be sealed.'' But Taj restaurant managers are not too happy with the rules. Too much money is at stake.
The lights at Geoffrey's, the Marine Plaza Pub, will also be out during the night though it might continue to serve lunch. Says Manoj Bhatia, the general manager, ``During the one-off dry days, you can serve alcohol to foreigners carrying passports but this time even that is not allowed so thereis not much point in staying open.'' The other alternative to pubs clubs is also out as even these aren't allowed to serve alcohol this time. So the city's party animals are quickly making alternative plans. The tipplers have already started buying out the liquor shops and Anish Trivedi, who has VJed for Channel V, is one of them. His plan for the weekend is to, ``stay up, watch the stars and stock up my bars. Or go for one of the many parties being thrown this weekend.'' Marc Robinson, model-turned-actor is leaving town for the pub city of Banglore. ``On Wednesday, we party the whole night and I leave for Banglore on the 26th and definitely won't be back till the drought is over,'' he sighs happily.
It is this side of the coin which is making Singh quite happy. ``It is interesting to note the way people are reacting. Everybody is so upset and perturbed about the dry days the going-out culture is so deeply entrenched in the city.''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
