On Your Mark.. Get.. Set.. GULP! Pubs & Bars Open Today to Quench the THIRST of Tipplers
Mangaluru: Even though a bunch of bars and pubs were illegally OPEN since weeks, doing business hand-in-hand with excise, police and concerned officials, but officially as of today, 1 September 2020, bars and pubs can serve food along with liquor. With the new guidelines, pubs and bars will open for tipplers after a break of nearly six months as the state government closed them soon after Karnataka recorded the first Covid death in March 2020. The fizz is all set today in Karnataka state, including Education Hub-Mangaluru, with the state government deciding to follow the latest Union ministry of home affairs guidelines and allow bars and restaurants to serve liquor to customers on their premises.
It is said watering holes will be asked to thermal screen customers, besides providing hand sanitizers and regulate air-conditioners to maintain a temperature in the 24-30 degree Celsius range and humidity at 40% to 70%. There is restriction for the entry of people aged over 65, less than ten. Seating arrangements should be made to maintain social distancing with six feet distance. Masks, hand sanitizers are to be used without fail. Social distance to be maintained between the staff and customers with safety measures to avoid infection. Customers and staff wearing masks will alone be allowed to enter. Staff to always wear hand gloves. Will norms be followed by the bar/pub owners and their clients is a million-dollar question?
Sources reveal that Chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday, in-principle, approved consumption of alcohol at outlets licensed to serve liquor on their premises. The decision is in line with central government guidelines issued on Saturday for Unlock 4.0. The new guidelines relaxed restrictions on activities including Metro services from September 7, public congregations with a ceiling of 100 people and allowed open air theatres to function from September 21. Excise commissioner Lokesh M confirmed the decision to allow the sector to resume normal business and an order to this effect is expected on Monday. “The relaxation comes with strict norms including social distancing, which means outlets will function below full their seating capacity. The order will contain a detailed advisory for both vendors and consumers,” had said Lokesh.
Outlets are expected to be allowed to operate at normal business hours mentioned in the licensing conditions — which means they can stay open for business between 10 am and 11.30 pm Despite the stifling norms, industry stakeholders including vendors and manufacturers have welcomed the decision given the Covid scare still persistent among general public and the fact that they expect a slow and tedious recovery. The Centre, after two nationwide lockdowns, allowed takeaway sales of liquor on May 4, when wine shops were allowed to reopen.
The density of customers in restaurants has been limited to 50 percent. Along with food, wine, beer or liquor has been permitted to be consumed. The permission given to issue parcels has been withdrawn. As bars, clubs and pubs have been permitted to open, the state government hopes to improve its revenue position to some extent. Sources reveal that Tourist hotels, tourist hotels holding beer licences, and bars in airports, have also been given permission to open. Holders of licences CL 4 (clubs), CL 6A (star hotels), CL 7 (hotel and boarding house), CL 7A (tourist hotel), CL 7B (tourist hotels with beer licence), CL 9 (bar and restaurant), CL 17 (duty free shops at airport), CL 18 (bars in international airports), wine tavern bottled beer pub and micro-breweries, have been permitted to stay open.
DRINK RESPONSIBLY and DRIVE/RIDE HOME SOBER and SAFE. CHEERS!
