MUMBAI: Football fans hoping to watch the FIFA World Cup Final at their favourite hotel or restaurant could get a late-night boost if the Maharashtra government accepts a hospitality industry’s request to extend bar operating hours for a single night.The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) (HRAWI) has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking permission for permit rooms and bars operating within licensed hotels and restaurants across the state to remain open until 3.30am on Monday, July 20, to coincide with the live telecast of the FIFA World Cup Final.The request comes amid growing enquiries from customers wanting to watch the showpiece event at hotels and restaurants, according to the industry body.The final, among the world’s most watched sporting events, is expected to attract football enthusiasts, domestic tourists and international visitors.If approved, the relaxation would be a one-time exemption from existing operating hour restrictions and would apply only to licensed hospitality establishments.HRAWI president Jimmy Shaw said allowing licensed venues to remain open for the duration of the match would provide football fans with a safe and regulated environment to enjoy the event instead of gathering at unregulated locations.“The FIFA World Cup Final is a truly global sporting spectacle that brings people together across cultures and borders. Allowing a one-time extension of operating hours for licensed hotel and restaurant bars will enable patrons to enjoy the match in a safe, regulated and professionally managed environment while also supporting tourism and the hospitality sector,” Shaw said.The association has pointed out that Karnataka and Assam have granted similar one-time relaxations for licensed hospitality establishments during previous FIFA World Cup finals while maintaining public safety, law and order, excise compliance and licensing conditions.It has also submitted similar representations to the governments of Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.HRAWI spokesperson Pradeep Shetty said existing restrictions prevent licensed hotel bars from serving guests for the entire duration of late-night global sporting events, even as several other categories of businesses are permitted to operate round the clock.He said the proposed extension could benefit customers by providing supervised venues to watch the match while also generating additional business through late-night dining, food and beverage sales and tourism-related spending.The association has assured the state government that participating establishments would comply with all licensing conditions, excise rules, police directives, public safety measures, crowd management protocols and noise control norms if the request is approved.The state government has not yet announced a decision on the representation.For football fans, the government’s response will determine whether they can cheer their teams until the final whistle in licensed hotels and restaurants or will have to make alternative arrangements before closing hours kick in.For the hospitality industry, the decision could test Maharashtra’s approach to balancing customer demand, tourism promotion and regulatory safeguards during major international sporting events.
