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Let's party till 5 am

Updated on: 15 December,2009 10:50 AM IST  | 
Urvashi Seth |

Hotels and restaurants should be allowed to remain open beyond the 1.30 am deadline from Christmas to New Year's Eve, says association

Let's party till 5 am

Hotels and restaurants should be allowed to remain open beyond the u00a01.30 am deadline from Christmas to New Year's Eve, says association

Party animals can expect au00a0 rocking time in the five days from Christmas to New Year's Eve, if the State Home Ministry accedes to the request made by the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR) to allow hospitality establishments to remain open on these days till 5 am.

AHAR says the requested concessions would help Mumbai's hospitality industry, which lost considerable business following the 26/11 terror attacks.

"We are required to seek written permission to extend our deadline and pay Rs 250 for every hour we stay open after the set deadline.






We want to be allowed to remain open for these five days every year, so we don't have to seek fresh permissions every time," said Narayan Alva, president, AHAR.

Added Kadar Khan, who owns Sheesha restaurant in Bandra, "The post-26/11 security measures have restricted the flow of customers, who prefer to stay indoors at night.

Till last year, our restaurants and hotels attracted clients from the Middle East, who keep away due to the terror and swine flu scares.

The rising inflation has shrunk our operating margins from 35 per cent to 15. It is only fair that we are allowed to remain open longer."

Kamlesh Barot, director of Encore Hotels, which owns the Rajdhani restaurants, echoed Alva's sentiments. "If the government extends the deadline, it will help us attract more business," said Barot.

Medha Gadgil, principal secretary, home (Appeals & Security), confirmed AHAR has made the appeal.

"We have put up the file for the ministry's approval. I am not in a position to say anything beyond this at this juncture," said Gadgil.

Restaurant regulars are all for AHAR's proposal. "The deadline extension should not only apply for Christmas and New Year, but for Diwali, Holi and other important festivals as well.
u00a0
I will be the happiest man in the world if this happens," said Manthan Shah (25), an insurance agent.

"We celebrate New Year after 12 pm.

But the fear that we won't get any food after midnight forces us to order food in advance," said Sanjay Sawant, (36) an HR executive, who said it would be great if the restaurants would stay open all night.

Rs 250
What restaurant owners are required to pay per hour to the Mumbai police if they are allowed to extend closing time

8,000

Number of AHAR members
Deadline Tug-Of-War

In 2007, former tourism secretary I M Vittala Murthy proposed that deadline for restaurants be extended from 11.30 pm to 1.30 am in the interest of the travelling public and tourists and considering that Mumbai is portrayed as a city of the youth.

According to the proposal, the 11.30 pm closure deadline was described as unreasonable, considering the city's cosmopolitan character.
u00a0
The proposed deadline was for three developing metropolitans, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.
u00a0
The proposal was accepted, and the deadline for Mumbai was extended to 1.30 am.
u00a0
However, establishments were not to be allowed to take in new customers or accept fresh orders after 12.30 am.

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