Kolkata: Several bars in the city have taken a late-closure licence from the excise department to open their bars at the stroke of midnight on Nabami (Tuesday). But there are several other bars that have opted out of the late-closure facility on Monday (Ashtami) as the state govt has allowed serving of liquor at the bars only after midnight.Bar-B-Q on Park Street had a large turnout for lunch and dinner on Saturday (Saptami) and remained open till 1 am. It will open its bar on Tuesday at midnight and stay open till 1 am. “Monday, being a dry day, we won’t serve liquor until midnight,” said owner, Rajiv Kothari. WhatsUp Cafe on Southern Avenue will serve liquor from Monday midnight. “We have got the licence, which is an advantage. We get a late-night crowd of pandal-hoppers that steps in from 10 pm. They would love to order a drink at midnight. We will serve liquor till 1.30 am and stay open till 2 am on Tuesday (Nabami),” said owner Anirban Sengupta. He added the extra Saptami on Sunday will also help to make up for the dry day on Ashtami. “People have been asking about the midnight liquor serving. Many have booked their seats after midnight,” said a central Kolkata restaurant owner.Songhai-Manthan and MS Bar & Lounge had approached the excise department for permission to open their bars at midnight on Tuesday. But its owner, Sudesh Poddar — also the Hotel and Restaurants’ Association of Eastern India president — said it was too late for them to have the permission granted. Restaurants and bars across the city were swarmed by revellers on Saptami (Saturday) and wound up their pandal-hopping trips with a meal. Park Street saw an unprecedented turnout for both lunch and dinner on Saturday. Footfall was 20% more than last year’s puja, said Poddar.“The footfall has been building up over 10 days and, it exploded on Saptami. The evening crowd was the largest in recent years. We will stay open till 1 am on Sunday, so the footfall is bound to surpass records,” he said. Outlets of Specialty Restaurants that have bars, including Hoppipola, Mainland China and Cafe Mezzuna, will not serve liquor on Ashtami midnight. “Midnight onwards liquor serving is not feasible for us,” said Specialty MD, Anjan Chatterjee. Peter Cat and Mocambo, Peter Hu will stay open till 1 am on Ashtami, Nabami and Dashami. But their bars will not serve on Ashtami midnight. Chapter 2 and Oasis will not serve liquor from midnight either.
