The hospitality industry is nonplussed by the Apex Court’s order shutting down liquor sales in bars and luxury hotels within city as part of its order banning sales on highways.

T Natarajan, Secretary, South India Hotels and Restaurants Association, said the hospitality sector fully supports the need to address the social issue of drunken driving.

But within the city there are other viable safety measures and regulations that can be adopted to prevent drunken driving. Stopping luxury hotels and clubs located in prime locations from selling liquor will have a direct impact across industry, cause job losses particularly in hospitality and tourism, and adversely hit a range of industries and businesses.

Damp squib

Over 15 hotels on Anna Salai, 25 on Old Mahabalipuram Road and almost all resorts on the East Coast Road, except Fisherman’s Cove, have had to shut down liquor sales. Sunday Brunch is a big outing for families and that turned out to be a damp squib today as restaurants could not serve beer, he said.

A leading hotelier who did not want to be named asked what is the point in closing down bars in one street in the city while those in another are overcrowded? As it happened in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the Tamil Nadu government could declassify at least the State highways and highways within the city.

MP Purushothaman, Chairman, Empee Group, which operates the Hilton Chennai, said the authorities should consider the situation within the city differently. If high-end hotels and clubs stop serving liquor, international tourist arrivals and businesses will be hit.

Dr Palani G Periasamy, Chairman, Le Royal Meridien Chennai and Coimbatore, said a bar is an essential element of star rating for hotels. This will have a “multiple negative impact” affecting jobs, tourism and business, he said.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW