PANAJI
This will not be possible along national and State highways for too long as the Supreme Court passed an order banning sale of alcohol along highways and within a distance of 500 meters from April 1.
Having a beer and a fish thali might appear too simple to even mention, but on this rests the fortunes of a number of bars and restaurants along the highways in Goa.
Rajesh Dessai, proprietor, Ritz Classic, said, “Two of my restaurants in Goa are within 500 meters from highway and therefore we will be extremely impacted due to this order. In one case, we had even bought the premises. At that point, we didn’t know that sale of alcohol along highways would be banned.”
The business model of restaurants depends upon the expected profit on the sales of both liquor and food. Now that liquor sales are ruled out for restaurants along highways, the entire economics of restaurants is turned upside down.
While most restaurant owners agree that liquor does not account for more than 25% of their sales, but the fact that people like having beer or few pegs before they have a meal shows that they are not going to eat at a restaurant, which doesn’t serve alcohol. This means that there will be a huge drop in sales at restaurants along highways from April 1.
Restaurants are not the only one to lose, as there will be job losses as well. Michael Carrasco, president, Bardez Bar & Restaurant Owners Association, said “There will be a lot of cut down in employment in restaurants, as they will lose their business. Moreover, there are so many taverns along highways, which serve only alcohol and they are set to lose all their business. People working in such taverns too are likely to lose their jobs”
Sources also pointed that ban will change the culture of Goa, where alcohol is considered as an integral part of all parties and events. This is not just bad for locals, but it will also reduce the charm of Goa as a tourist destination for lakhs of travellers, who visit the State every year.
