12.30 or 1am, deadline plays party pooper for Gurgaon’s pub business

Gurgaon’s pub-going spirit is not so high this New Year’s, as most outlets have a 12.30am deadline and party-goers will have to wrap up their celebrations soon after they ring in the New Year. Only 21 out of 250 pubs and restaurants in Gurgaon have got the license to operate till 1am, and the half-an-hour extension came at a hefty price. Owners tell us they are looking at a loss in business on New Year’s Eve owing to the early deadline, as shutting shop at 12.30 or 1am means either people will prefer house parties or just spend less time at pubs than what they would have.
Our mumbai outlets are open till 5am, while gurgaon shuts at 1!
Restaurant and club managements tell us that even the 1am deadline is too early, and are questioning how pubs in other cities like Goa and Mumbai are allowed to stay open beyond 1am, while those in Delhi and Gurgaon are not. Rahul Singh, CEO of Beer Café, says, “We have got an extension till 1am at a heavy price. I feel bad for the places that couldn’t get one. This rule is absurd and doesn’t make any sense. Our Mumbai outlets are open till 5am, while we are closing our Gurgaon outlets at 1am. Though the authorities say they are doing this for public safety, I wonder how places in Goa, which are open till morning on New Year’s, hardly have any criminal activities? A country like Singapore has clubs open till morning, but there are no incidents of crime. Not allowing people to have fun even on New Year’s and blaming late-night partying for crimes is not justified.”
“It’s not about the loss, as a day of business in a year hardly matters, but what bothers me is that the administration feels its right to moral police and take the freedom of the people,” Rahul Singh adds.
Hemant Nautiyal, general manager of Striker group, says, “The 1am deadline has been there for the past two years. So, those who want to party till late have no option but to go for house parties. Even people who are calling us to inquire about our New Year’s party seem a little hesitant. There are a lot of customers who want to come early and leave early as well, but the loss because of this is not negligible. There is at least a loss of 40% if you compare the business we used to generate when we were allowed to operate till 2-3am.”
The loss is being estimated by the new entrants in the market too. Rajeev Malhotra, operations manager at Imperfecto, tells us, “We haven’t got the permission to operate till 1am yet. Nobody wants to ring in the New Year and then be asked to leave in half an hour. This is why a large number of people won’t turn up. We are estimating a loss of 20-30%.”
It’s business as usual for those catering to family, corporates
Although the loss faced by the clubs and restaurants which cater to the younger party crowd is obvious, for places which serve the corporate crowd and the families, it’s still a good day for business. Kanika Kumar, head of marketing of Hard Rock Cafe, says, “Our basic customer base is the corporate crowd, and as they are all working the next day, they are fine with the 1am deadline. We are hosting a masquerade party on New Year’s Eve and are expecting good footfall. It’s a special occasion, so people will go out rather than spending their evening at a house party. Moreover, the 1am deadline has been there for two years now, so customers have warmed up to it.” Adding to this, Rajat Malhotra, marketing head of Punjab Grill, says, “We have an outlet in Juhu and one in Cyber Hub. As our Mumbai outlet is not in what is considered a safe area, we will be operating till 1 am there as well. Punjab Grill caters to families and hence the deadline doesn’t matter much as families generally tend to leave early.”
There are a few places which claim that there is no loss even though their clientele comprises a young crowd. Anoop Mallik, general manager of Sutra, tells us, “We applied for the license to stay open till 1am, but we haven’t received it yet. Around 70% of our New Year’s party tickets are already sold, so I don’t think our customers are affected by the 12.30am deadline.”
Grumpy customers come up with alternatives
When we spoke to some party-goers, we encountered a few interesting responses. Karun Mishra*, who lives on Sohna Road, believes that these rules are just rules and many may not comply with them because it’s New Year’s Eve. He tells us, “Well, I’m sure the pubs and restaurants will extend the deadline as much as they can. And if not, then I will just party at home. There’s no point in going out and coming back early.”
Anushree Yadav, who lives in Sushant Lok, says, “Partying with friends is important for me on New Year’s Eve, and nothing beats ringing in the New Year by dancing like crazy at a club where you can party for a few hours. However, with the 1am deadline in place, you only get 1 hour to enjoy as the party only starts at midnight! An extension till 3am or so would have made a great difference.”
Those who claim to belong to the ‘regular party-goers’ category, say that these rules which are in place to keep the newbies in check, is ruining their party plans as well. Prateek Vashist*, a media professional, tells us, “All these deadlines are there because of newbies who don’t know how to party. The percentage of such new party people is quite high in the city. They can’t even handle two drinks, and almost always proceed create a scene. Because of them, even we can’t party. But, we have alternate plans – we are going out and then moving the party to a friend’s place.”
*Names changed on request