15 February,2010 09:01 AM IST | | Debarati Palit
What moral policing and below-the-belt politics could not do, Saturday's blast at the German Bakery did to retail businesses a day ahead of Valentine's Day.
Many watering holes at Koregaon Park, Kalyani Nagar, Dhole Patil road and Bund Garden Road that remained open received only received 30 per cent of their usual footfalls.
Hemant Lavangare of Juice Lounge, Dhole Patil road, whose special offers for V-Day failed to attract patrons, said, "We lost out on almost 75 per cent of our expected revenue. Establishments around Koregaon Park have been particularly affected."
Many patrons at Malaka Spice, a restaurant at Lane No 5, Koregaon Park, called on Saturday and the day after to cancel bookings. "As we are close to German Bakery, we have lost considerable business over the weekend," said Chandrakant Phirke, manager, Malaka Spice.
Outlets on North Main Road remained closed yesterday. Most are expected to open today. Nafisa Alvares, official spokesperson, Mocha, which is located close to German Bakery said, "Mocha was closed on Saturday evening. Our outlet on Law College Road is open, but we are hardly getting any business."
Multiplexes appear to have fared better than restaurants. "We had 2,500 patrons on Saturday. The number dropped by almost 60 per cent yesterday despite it being a Sunday and a Valentine's Day," explained Abud Shaikh, duty manager, Gold BIG Cinemas at Kalyani Nagar.
Hitendra Gaikwad, manager, City Pride, Kothrud, put the cancellations on Sunday at 40 per cent.
Officials at multiplexes like Inox and E-square, however, maintained that their numbers remained the same as Saturday.
