It’s been a tough past year for the hospitality industry that suffered heavy losses on account of being shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With 2021 underway and a hope for a new and better normal, they’re looking to get their footfalls back. The eateries had reopened in the first week of October and have been trying to recover their losses. And now, in the latest
development they can also stay open until morning, quite literally! The Maharashtra Government has recently issued a directive announcing an extension for operational timings for restaurants and shops, where the restaurants can be operational till1 am. The move is being welcomed by the city’s hotel and restaurant industry as a sign of going back to normalcy. Says Pradeep Shetty, Sr Vice President, Hotel and Restaurant Association Of Western India (HRAWI), “We are absolutely thrilled with the Maharashtra Government’s decision. The extension will definitely be a boost for businesses and will encourage several restaurants to re-open which have continued to remain shut since the lockdown. At present, diners have to be at the restaurant before 9.30 pm max to ensure they have a table and the last order is taken latest by 10.30 pm. With the hospitality industry in grave losses, we had been pleading with the Government to relax the timings for restaurants. This is a most welcome move as it has the potential to generate anywhere between Rs.50 Cr to Rs.75 Cr revenue per day for the industry.”
‘We lost a lot of revenue during season time like Christmas and New Year, so hopefully this will give impetus to the industry’
Amit Jambotkar, director of several restaurants in the city, says, “We are very happy with this extension of the operation hours for the restaurants as this will improve our night business. We lost a lot of revenue during season time like Christmas and New Year, so hopefully this will give impetus to the industry. Also, with trains opening up for general public, it will help in staff mobility. We had rented few spaces for staff accommodation near our restaurants, but now that can ease out. It’s a huge relief to get back to normalcy slowly.”
Tarak Bhattacharya, CEO of a donut chain also hails the move and says, “This is indeed good news for the hospitality industry, and a great start to the year! We welcome government’s decision as the extension till 1am, it will help us improve sales, especially in a city like Mumbai known for late-night eating. With trains opening for general public, it will help our staff to come to work more conveniently every day. We hope that this move will help us reviving back to normal situation. After a lot of hardship, this announcement gives a ray of hope to the entire food and hospitality industry and we may expect better sales and revenue with this new guidelines “
