Gokul, Pritam among 100 Mumbai bars booked for serving ‘smaller’ pegs
Gokul Restaurant & Bar, Colaba. Picture Courtesy: Suyog
Several establishments from the city have been booked by the state for cheating customers by serving lesser than the ‘prescribed’ quantity of alcohol.
The cases have been registered against many prominent bars who were either serving less alcohol for the small/large pegs or using non-standard peg measures. The cases have been registered by the Legal Metrology department.
Per the rules, a bar is required to serve liquor based on the specifications mandated under the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, formulated under the Legal Metrology Act, 2008.
Shaving off 5 ml might from a small (30 ml) peg might not make a world of difference to every patron, however, bars can make a killing out of it.
According to a bartender with a popular lounge in Bandra, “A lot of bars follow this practise of shaving off a few ml from each drink. Most patrons are too busy having a good time with their friends to even notice it. But, if you add up the numbers, it becomes clear how lucrative the deal is for bars.”
“A 750 ml bottle of Royal Stag, which is usually one of the highest selling alcohol in most bars, should typically serve 25 small pegs. But, by shaving off just 5 ml per drink, the bar can serve 30 drinks from the same bottle. Since each drink would cost an average of Rs 100 per small peg, the bar stands to make an additional profit of Rs 500 per bottle. If we apply it to the 50 or so bottles (of any brand) that most bars easily clear, it leaves them with a ‘pure profit’ of Rs 25,000 per day,” he added.
The drive across Maharashtra was carried out between July 28 to 30, wherein 1400 bars from the state were inspected. Out of which, over 1041 were found to be flouting norms. Out of the 170 bars inspected in the city, 118 were found guilty.
If the bars approach the department and plead guilty within a certain time, they will be let off with a monetary fine (Rs 20,000). If they fail to do so, the department will file a charge sheet against them.
According to a report in a leading daily, Pritam (Dadar), Gokul (Colaba), Novotel (Juhu), Yacht Restaurant (Bandra), Baywatch (Dadar) and Sanders Lunch Home (Mulund) are among the establishments booked for following sub-standard practise.
If patrons are aware of any restaurant that is flouting rules, they can file a complaint with the Legal Metrology department by calling (022-22886666), sending a WhatsApp (9869691666) or sending an email ([email protected]).
