MARGAO
Day one of the SC ban revealed that city’s over-six decade old multi-cuisine restaurant, Lonquinhos and many other restaurants in the commercial capital and outside reported a sharp drop in their sales.
Anushka family restaurants, a chain of restaurants, two in Margao and one at Camurlim before the Borim bridge, also complained of a drastic impact on the sales. And, many a restaurant owners have raised apprehensions that the actual impact will be visible only after Easter.
Says Ivo Coutinho, owner of the iconic restaurant, Longuinhos: “Our worst fears have come true. There was an impact on the sales of the restaurant following the SC ban on sale of liquor. Customers had to go back disappointed. We do not know whether the SC ban will help tourism in the State. Foreigners may also be hit hard on account of the ban.”
Ivo’s brother, IIio Coutinho, Longuinhos owner, echoed similar sentiments. “Our restaurant has witnessed an impact to the tune of 40-50 per cent. We do not know how to cope up with the emerging situation. The government should act fast to save our businesses as well as the tourism industry,” he said.
Tony Fernandes, owner of Anushka chain of family restaurants located in South Goa, said that day one
of the enforcement of the Supreme Court order had an impact on the business. “The business was down in all our three restaurants at the BPS Club, Margao, at the SGPDA market and near the Borim bridge.
The loss was between 40-60 per cent. Either the customers stayed away from the restaurants or they returned back disappointed after being told of the liquor ban,”
Tony said, while making a humble plea to the government to bail out the industry from the crisis.
Most of the liquor and wine shops dotting along the station road, Margao, which cater to the requirements of the tourists travelling by trains, downed their shutters in the wake of the Supreme Court ban.
Prominent amongst the city’s wholesale liquor outlets which were found closed was Vaz Enterprises located opposite the Lohia Maidan. Vaz Enterprises put up a notice for the benefit of the customers, informing that the outlet will remain closed indefinitely from April 1.
The owner has requested the customers to bear with the inconveniences until the operations commence at a new location on Colva road.
