The Haryana government’s decision to allow renewal of bar licences has evoked lukewarm response from the hospitality industry in Gurugram so far with just 60-odd applications received for the re-issuance. The Millennium City has around 280 bars and hotels serving liquor.
Haryana Excise and Taxation Commissioner has allowed the renewal of bar licences in the State from Tuesday. However, only 62 bar owners have applied for the renewal of licence. Hotels with ratings of three stars and above were allowed to serve liquor in rooms through an order on July 16 and their licences were renewed, but were kept inoperative.
Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (Excise, East) Aruna Singh told The Hindu that she had received 45 applications for renewal so far and the same were being scrutinised. The East Zone has 189 bars and hotels, including those in Sector 29 and along the Golf Course Road. Similarly, the West Zone, including the Cyber Hub, has 93 bars and hotels serving liquor, but only 17 have applied for the renewal till date.
Ms. Singh said that seven bar owners had offered to surrender their licences. She, however, added that the figures were in sync with the annual trend.
Refusing to speculate on the number of owners likely to surrender their licences, Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (Excise, West) Anirudh Sharma said the picture would be clear in a couple of days.
National Restaurant Association of India’s Gurugram chapter head Inderjeet Banga expressed apprehensions that around 50% bar owners might find it infeasible to operate due to high rentals and surrender their licences.
“The bars have been shut for five months and their opening now does not guarantee the return of the business. So most of the bars owners are finding it difficult to survive at the current high rentals. We need the support of landlords for three months,” said Mr. Banga, who runs ‘Pirates of Grill’ at a shopping mall on Mehrauli-Gurugram Road.
He expressed gratitude towards the government for allowing the renewal of licences. Mr. Banga said that the decision would prove to be a “lifeline for restaurants and bars that are on the verge of closure” and help the government make money in terms of licence fee. He said the government had offered 20% rebate to bar owners in case of upfront payment of licence fee for two quarters and was also considering waiver of fee for the ongoing month.