Pubs and bars attached to hotels and clubs, which were closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have been granted permission to resume operations with immediate effect.
The Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise, in a letter addressed to all the District Collectors, said all the FL2 (recreation clubs), FL3 (star hotels), FL3A (hotels run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation), FL3AA (hotels run by the franchisee of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation) and FL10 (airport restaurants) licences in their jurisdiction (except in containment zones) could start functioning after duly following the standard operating procedures and guidelines laid down by the State government. They will have to wind up operations by 8 p.m.
Instructions have been issued to Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners (Excise) of all districts to ensure that the instructions are followed in all the bars.
Bars attached to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) will remain closed. “Tasmac bars continue to be closed,” a senior government official said.
Safety protocol
In bars, not more than 50% of seating capacity is to be permitted. Persons above above 65, persons with co-morbidities and pregnant women will not allowed to enter the bars attached to the hotels/clubs. Large gatherings, conduct of musical events and cultural programmes on the dance floor continue is prohibited. A self-declaration form along with contact details of one person must be provided by the visitor to the bar at the reception or bar entrance.
Instructions have been given to keep the premises clean and disinfected frequently, and to take ample precautions while handling liquor stock supplies, inventories and other goods.
On Thursday, bars attached to hotels and some prominent pubs sent alerts to their patrons on Instagram and social media pages informing that they are back in business. A few luxury hotels, including Taj Coromandel (Chipstead) and The Park (Leather bar) immediately re-opened. While the other hotels have indicated that they will start business within a day or two. “We have opened our coffee shops and restaurant. The bar will opening only after we get stocks,” said the manager at one of the big hotels in Chennai.
Managements of many standalone pubs said that they would open their counters tomorrow or by this weekend. They said that since there was a cap on the seating numbers priority would be given to those who make an advance booking and for regular customers. “We have placed order for liquor and it usually takes 24 hours to two days for delivery. Once we get the stock we will get going,” said the person-in-charge of a pub at Nungambakkam.
Arasu Dennis, managing cirector of AD Associates and consultant to several pubs in the city, said that business at bars would pick up gradually. “For bars, the peak business time is post 8 p.m. So we need to wait and watch how sales pick up,” he added.
According to ballpark estimates given by industry sources, in Chennai a pub on an average gets a footfall of 100-150 during week days and anywhere between 300-500 on weekends. The average billing per person is ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 a person.