Pub brawl: Sahara Mall, bar owners on collision course

The tussle between pub owners and the Sahara Mall management has deepened with the former deliberating to support Mud Pot restaurant, which has moved court against the mall authorities for disconnecting its power supply on December 25.

The tussle between pub owners and the Sahara Mall management has deepened with the former deliberating to support Mud Pot restaurant, which has moved court against the mall authorities for disconnecting its power supply on December 25.

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The hearing of the case is slated for Tuesday.

Owing to security reasons, the mall management had refused to allow Mud Pot restaurant to run its operations.

However, restaurant owners claimed the trouble started when they procured a liquor licence two months ago, a move objected to by the mall management.

On Monday, the mall authorities held a meeting with pub owners and allegedly told them that it would act against them if they (owners) supported Mud Pot in the legal battle.

This has created mixed feelings among the bar owners.

Some of the pub owners told HT on the condition of anonymity, "We are thinking about the offer made by the mall management. We will hold another meeting to decide whether we should support Mud Pot or not," said a pub owner.

On the other hand, Puneet Pandey, director of Mud Pot, said, "Sahara Mall management disconnected our power supply on Christmas. The pub has been functioning for the last 11 months. The problem started only after we procured a liquor licence two months ago. The mall management does not want us to serve liquor."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the mall management, said, "There is a law and order problem due to these pubs, especially at night. The management feels that it has not received cooperation from pub owners. We terminated the lease contracts of three pubs recently. We have also requested the government to cancel the liquor licences of all pubs at the mall."