Delhi: Restobars can sell beer stock to liquor shops

NEW DELHI: With no decision yet on the opening of the restobars, hotels and clubs in the city, Delhi government has decided to allow such establishments to sell their stock of beer expiring by July 31 to liquor shops.
According to officials, this is the third time the government has given a relief to the owners of about 800-odd restobars, clubs, pubs and hotels in the city, which are closed since March 25 when the nation-wide lockdown was imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Officials said the bottles and cans of beer in Delhi come with an expiry of six months. If not consumed within the given time, the stock of beer will have to be disposed of. The order to sell the stock of beer expiring by July 31 has been aimed at minimising financial losses to such establishments, they added.
In its recent order, the excise department said that all hotels, clubs, pubs and restaurants having the licence to allow the consumption of liquor on their premises will have to prepare an inventory of the beer with barcode, which they intend to sell or transfer to a licensed store.
“The licensee from hotels, clubs and restaurants shall then submit the barcode list of beer stock and consent letter obtained from licensed vends to the excise department with the request for allowing transfer of beer stock,” the order read.
Welcoming the government’s move, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) director general Vinod Giri said the hospitality industry in the capital was under huge stress and the government’s step would help mitigate it to some extent.
“We welcome the decision of the Delhi government to allow bars to sell beer that is getting old. This is what we had recommended to the government in May. Hospitality sector is under great stress and this may help recover some investment stuck in stock,” Giri said.
According to an earlier estimate, said Giri, about 30,000-35,000 cases of beer were stuck with bars in Delhi when the lockdown was announced. However, there was no means of finding out how much of them had the July 31 expiry.