Extended nightlife: No significant rise in liquor sales

Barring the Central Business District (CBD), the first two days of the extension of deadline for bars, pubs and restaurants till 1 am received lukewarm response.

 While liquor sales registered a meagre increase, owners of bars and pubs are confident of doing good business in the days to come. The police heaved a sigh of relief as neither petty crimes nor cases of drunken driving went up.

“We have just observed the response in the first two days. We will surely ensure measures for safety on roads in the coming days,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) B Dayananda said.

The police officers termed the two days’ experience “an additional burden.”

“We had to postpone other cases and concentrate on anti-social elements. The basic policing was affected and the officers had to spend sleepless nights,” said a senior officer.
A majority of the establishments said that it was too early to talk about the increase in business.

The eateries and restaurants in the City are still not ready to stay open beyond 11.30 pm. Most of them are making necessary arrangements to do business during the extra hours.
“We have to decide the salaries of the staff as they will have to work beyond the stipulated timings,” said Siddique, manager of an eatery in Frazer Town.

Most establishments fear security problems as they do not want any untoward incidents on their premises. They are requesting more patrolling from police.

Manjunath, who runs a chain of liquor outlets in West Bangalore, said the liquor sale was up by just two to three per cent. Bar owners are thinking of introducing new measures to attract more customers after 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, he said.
DH News Service