Bars barred from staying open late (ToI)

Bars barred from staying open late TNN | Aug 23, 2013, 01.45 AM IST PANAJI: Wine stores will soon have to down shutters by 9pm as against 11pm allowed earlier. While the regular timing of wine stores is 8am to 9pm, on payment of additional amount they were allowed to remain open till 11pm. The notification issued by the finance department on Thursday curtailing additional time given to wine stores, bars and restaurants will be applicable only to new licence holders. "All those who have permission to remain open for extra hours will be allowed to do so till March 31, 2014, as they have already paid licence fees. New permissions will be sans extra hours," an excise officer said. Extra hours permitted to bars and restaurants too have been done away with. While their regular timing is 9am to 11pm, they could remain open till 5am on payment of additional fees amounting to 50% of the licence fee. Bars and restaurants will, from April 1, 2014, be allowed to remain open till 1am on payment of extra fees. Starred hotels will be permitted to remain open till 5am on payment of additional fees. There are 9,343 liquor outlets in the state including 1,743 wine stores. The government has cut down extra hours of wine stores due to persistent complaints from people that wine stores usually remained open till midnight. "There had been a lot complaints that wine stores located in residential buildings did not shut down at the given time," an excise officer said. The department had also received complaints that some wine stores served liquor by placing chairs in the open space outside the store. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Bars-barred-from-staying-open-late/articleshow/21988601.cms