F&B dist takes a hit, weekend no better than weekdays
Times of India | 8 September 2024
Kolkata: The food and beverages sector in Kolkata has been hit hard by the RG Kar agitations with footfall sliding by 40% across restaurants over the last month. With the protests gaining momentum, the lean period may affect business in the run-up to the pujas, and even during the festival, feared restaurant owners.
Since the protests commenced on Aug 9, few south Kolkata and Park Street restaurants have seen full occupancy.Footfall rose marginally on Friday and Saturday, especially at some central Kolkata resto-bars but with more agitations scheduled this weekend, business would continue to remain poor, said Hotel and Restaurants Association of Eastern India president Sudesh Poddar. “We saw a 40% dip in footfall across restaurants over the last fortnight. It improved by around 20% over the last two days, but is likely to dip again as the protests reach a crescendo to mark a month of the incident. Central Kolkata bars are better off for they don’t attract family crowds,” said Poddar. “This is the period when footfall start rising but this time it has been different,” added Poddar, who owns Songhai, MS Bar & Lounge and Manthan.
At Park Street, the pre-puja cheer has been missing. Footfall has dropped by 30% on an average and the usual waiting crowd outside iconic restaurants has thinned. “There has been severe traffic disruptions and very few are in the mood to go out and have a nice time. When everyone’s talking about such a gruesome crime and a debate is raging about safety, the mood changes. Last weekend was better and we must wait and watch how things unfold,” said Nitin Kothari, owner of Mocambo and Peter Cat.
Bar-B-Q has seen a ‘noticeable drop’ in footfalls over the last two weeks, said owner Rajiv Kothari. “The environment is not right for dining out. I hope it changes before the pujas,” he said.
“We have seen a sharp 30% drop in footfall at Oasis. Last weekend was better but we are heading for a subdued puja this year. This is the time when footfall increases but this year it has been reversed. Eating out is not on families’ minds right now,” said Oasis owner Pratap Daryanani.
Footfall has slid by 25% at the outlets of Oudh 1590 and at Chapter 2, said co-owner and founder Shiladitya Chaudhury. “There has also been a similar slide in online orders which has affected business. Puja is just over a month away and this is the time when footfall starts climbing, especially on weekends. Last year, we had a strong build-up during Sept, but last weekend, we had a poor turnout at most outlets,” added Chaudhury.
Amber in central Kolkata has seen a 25%-30% drop in attendance. “A combination of factors, including traffic disruptions and the rain has added to the chaos since the RG Kar rape-murder incident. It has indeed altered the festive mood and all kinds of businesses have been affected. But I expect things to improve now and hope that the protests will gradually lessen and normalcy will return,” said owner Sanjay Khullar.