Pubs still run dry

Business continued to remain low for pubs and nightclubs, with Puneites not making a dash for drinks even after the 3-day ban on liquor ended

Business continued to remain low for pubs and nightclubs, with Puneites not making a dash for drinks even after the 3-day ban on liquor ended

Pubs and nightclub owners, who expected a mad rush of customers last evening, with a three-day liquor prohibition coming to an end, were left disappointed when Puneites opted to stay at home.

No crowds
Said an official from Curve at ABC Farms, "We were expecting a large crowd tonight. But, the number of customers is even lower than normal Tuesdays."

Those who had hoped that with several pre-bookings, it will be a busy night, too were upset. Snehal Chidnis, guest relationship manager at Foodlink Court on Senapati Bapat Road said, "Half of our tables were reserved in advance and we were looking forward to walk-ins. But the numbers (at 10 pm) look just about fine, with many reservations not being filled."

"Regulars too have given their favourite joints a miss," said Samuel Nath, manager of the pub Hidden Place at Koregaon Park.

Kanakdas Shetty, president, Pune Restaurant and Hoteliers Association, said "The dry days affected business badly. We lost around Rs 1 crore per day during the dry spell."

Partygoers' speak
But all hope was not lost. Some die-hard party animals still geared up to make the most of the lifting of the prohibition. Said media professional Radhika Gupta, "It has been a dull Sunday with night clubs and pubs either shut or not serving alcohol. Now that the ban has been lifted, we plan to party hard." Agreed IT professional Althea Da Costa. "We plan to make the most of the lifting of the ban."

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