Mumbai's restaurateurs wish for change

City restaurateurs have been asking for a thriving ambiance In pic Cafeacute Mondegar PicShadab KhanMitesh Rangras SID HospitalityWe hope that there is a control on the dollar price so that prices of commodities donrsquot flare up the way they do There should be a national policy for the FampB businesses so that every state doesnrsquot have different laws for restaurant permits excise liquor permits etcWe should standardise tax percentages for liquor and food service across the country and there should be a single window clearance for all restaurantrelated licenses The challenges we face are high rentals and everchanging prices for commodities due to various reasons like dollar prices and import lawsSuved Lohia Org and Villa 69We hope that the new government passes the late night bill Also last year the excise duty was a lot so we hope there is relaxationWe pay big revenue to the government through big taxes In the West there are lots of extracurricular activities like going to Broadway watching theatre but here be it the common man or the uppermiddle class people usually eat out to celebrate Keeping commercial rent in mind which is high we try to keep prices reasonable and still produce quality food If excise is reduced we can source better ingredients and give a better culinary experience to our patronsRiyaaz Amlani Impresario FoodsThe FampB industry is heavily taxed and while we pay taxes there is no input credit given There should be an immediate implementation of the Goods and Service Tax GST A city gets its character from standalone restaurants these must be given impetusWe need an industry status subsidies and import benefits for standalone restaurants A single window clearance would be helpful There is also a heavy tax on imported products We have abundant resources but whatrsquos missing is quality If the quality improves we wonrsquot need to import lamb or cheese from overseasSanat Patel Oh Cha Kitchen and BarOur hope is that the government gets more friendly to the organised FampB sector which will in turn benefit the consumerImport procedures for raw materials need to be simplified especially for perishables Goods with a short shelf life lying uncleared result in FampB sector buying imported products at high prices as the importer keeps a larger price buffer This results in either the outlet pricing dishes higher or keeping prices lower with less margin so that the consumer does not sufferHitesh Keswani Silver Beach Cafe Nom Nom Park Bench Copa and Jantar MantarWe are looking forward to the singlewindow clearance that exists in Gujarat as well as collation of multiple taxes Applying for each particular license carries on throughout the month and is exhaustingOne is also hoping for relaxation in timings which will help in boosting tourism Due to levying of several taxes such as Octroi and VAT the consumer has to pay out of their pockets As property rates are 500 more than what they should be we are hoping they drop to realistic estimatesSanjana Patel La FolieEncourage international training schools to open in India This has a direct impact on availability of trained chefs and other personnelSupport startup companies by providing better funding options Food Safety and Standards Authority of India needs to be streamlined due to lack of clarity as to what can and cannot be imported Food labelling laws need to be standardised and information of the same needs to be transitioned to suppliersfood importers and manufacturers Imported raw material is almost three times costlier than European prices Import tax is too high and should be revisedMihir Desai The Big Bang Bar and CafeacuteCurrently we require 28 licenses to open an FampB outlet We need a single window clearance which will reduce the time taken to open a new outlet We currently pay service tax and VATWe can incorporate a single tax policy We also have a 130 am closure deadline which needs to be extended as Mumbai is a global city Excise license fee is very high which can be reduced This will benefit the consumer as well We can demarcate locations as entertainment areas which will have extended deadlines This will ensure residential areas are not disturbed Singaporersquos Clarke Quay is an ideal example