Gurugram restaurants and bars seek liquor licence fee waiver

Owners of restaurants, pubs and bars in Gurugram have sought a waiver of the quarterly liquor licence fee, citing a loss of revenue in view of their outlets remaining shut since this April, after the government enforced restrictions to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic

Owners of restaurants, pubs and bars in Gurugram have sought a waiver of the quarterly liquor licence fee, citing a loss of revenue in view of their outlets remaining shut since this April, after the government enforced restrictions to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

HT Image

Owners said they had already paid the first quarter fee of this fiscal in advance, but since then, their establishments have remained shut in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases, which were at its peak from mid-April to mid-May.

The excise department is yet to consider their requests and have instead asked them to pay the next quarter fee by the end of the month.

Officials said they have started receiving applications for surrendering liquor licences and the numbers may go up in the months to come as restaurants stare at an uncertain future due to the pandemic.

Inderjeet Banga, the owner of Prankster and Pirates of Grill and the head of the Gurugram chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said they have requested the state government and the excise department to consider their appeal and provide some relief. “Due to the lockdown and the current situation, the industry is badly hit. We had demanded that the government should waive liquor licence fee for the lockdown period,” he said.

The liquor licence fee for a five-star hotel in the district is ₹25 lakh per annum, while it is ₹24 lakh per annum for bars and restaurants, and ₹10 lakh for microbreweries.

Restaurants and bars have been shut since April when lockdown-like restrictions came into effect to contain the spread of Covid-19. They have now been allowed to open on Mondaybut only at 50% capacity.

Lalit Ahlawat, the director of Soi Hospitality in CyberHub, Adda in Sector 29 and Striker on Golf Course Road, said they were hopeful that the industry will get back to its glory days soon. “In the current circumstances, we all are trying to revive our businesses. We have appealed to the government and we are hopeful that they will consider our request and will waive at least this quarter’s fee. With corporates still working from home, there is hardly any footfall at restaurants and pubs,” he said.

Restaurateurs said despite the fresh guidelines announced on Sunday, allowing them open from 10 am to 8pm starting Monday, the footfall is yet to pick up.

Rohit Mann, director, Raise the Bar brewery at Clarens Hotel in Sector 29, said they get the maximum business after 7pm, but now the guidelines stipulate that they have to close at 8pm. “We have already paid the quarterly fee and with in the current situation, we will suffer losses as people are not stepping out. The department will have to consider our situation and give us relief so that we can stay afloat,” he said.

Restaurateurs said with the present operational timings, they cannot earn much revenue by only opening for lunch hours.

Arjun Sagar Gupta, founder, Piano Man, said revenues will take a while to revive. “Without night operations we cannot earn revenue and the industry is in distress. Considering our request will be a booster for us,” he said.

VK Beniwal, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (east), however, said they have already extended the time to pay the quarterly fee by a month, but cannot waive the fee completely. “If they have already written to higher authorities, it might bring some relief, but we are unaware of any appeal filed by them,” he said.