KOLKATA: A day after 37 people were rounded up from The Park for partying well past the Covid-restriction deadline, pubs and bars in central Kolkata stopped serving alcohol after 7.30pm on Monday and shut the place by 8pm, as stipulated by the government. Many owners also put up notices outside their bars, requesting guests to vacate the premises by 8pm.
The government allowed bars and restaurants to stay open till 8pm from July 1, provided they followed all Covid-safety guidelines. There have been allegations that some bars remained open beyond 9pm, in violation of the Covid restrictions. But after the raid on Park Street, most places were found to abide by the rules on Monday.
The authorities at Broadway Hotel on Ganesh Chandra Avenue claimed they always stuck to the government deadline and stopped taking orders for drinks after 7.30pm. “We start requesting customers to finish their food and drinks before 8pm because we must shut down by that time. We also stop taking orders by 7.30pm so the guests can finish their food and drinks and leave before 8pm,” said Sandeep Sehgal, owner of Broadway Hotel. The establishment has also put up a notice outside, requesting customers to vacate the premises by 8pm.
At Ar Han Thai, too, the staff reportedly take the last order around 7.30pm. “We tell customers we will shut by 8pm, the government deadline. So far, we have not faced any problem convincing any customer,” said manager Sanjay Singh.
Many bars, however, allegedly shut the main entrance at 8pm but continue to serve beyond the deadline. Flouting restrictions, owners of many guest houses have allegedly been letting out rooms for small parties.
“Customers usually start dropping in around 7pm. As soon as they arrive, we tell them to order their last drink at 7.30pm and leave by 8pm. If these time restrictions continue, they will never return again. The government must review this decision,” said the owner of a bar on Park Street.
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