Lok Sabha and MLC elections: Restobars, hoteliers and bar owners upset about dry days in Bengaluru between June 1 and 6

Bengaluru hotels and restobars face 25% business loss due to five dry days in June, impacting sales and operations.

With five dry days being declared in Bengaluru between June 1 and June 6 (except on June 5) on account of MLC elections, Lok Sabha polls counting day and MLC polls result day, hotels and restobars in Bengaluru are worried that 25% of their business for the month will be affected.

While most restobars usually close their establishments on dry days, some say that losing out on 100% business for five days will not be practical and are planning to continue food service.

Sushil Viswas, manager of SuzyQ on Queens Road said, “We are not yet sure whether we will remain closed on the dry days as we usually do. Either way, it is certainly a loss for us as 60% of our sales come from alcohol and 40% from food.”

Chethan Hegde, founder of 1522 and also the Bengaluru Chapter Head of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said that most establishments might struggle to break even in June.

“Five days is almost 25% of our working days taken away. And our restaurants and pubs work with very thin margins in today’s day and time. Technically, June will be a complete washout for us and a practical loss.” Expressing his disappointment over the restrictions, he added, “They ban liquor sales even on election days where hardly 10,000 people vote. It is also banned on counting days. At this rate, many in the industry will be out of business soon.”

He also alleged that pubs and restaurants are some of the highest contributors in terms of taxes, yet they are often targeted, even when religious processions take place in the city.

Karunakar Hegde, pub owner and vice-president of the Federation of Wine Merchants’ Association also voiced similar concerns emphasising that dry days will result in tremendous losses. “One bar in Bengaluru has to pay about ₹9 lakh license fee which is nearly ₹1 lakh per month. So if we are closed for five days, we lose a lot. Teachers and graduate voters are well-educated and comprise about 5% of the total population. The government need not ban the sale of liquor on those days because these people are well educated and they do not drink and cast their votes.”