50 minutes
PETALING JAYA: Individuals who love to drink tend to throw caution to the wind as many operators of restaurants-cum-bars will attest to.
Many just refuse to observe the standard operating procedures (SOP), particularly the need for social distancing, once they start drinking.
They also like to crowd around the same table despite the restriction on the number of patrons at each table.
Coupled with the constant raids by enforcement officers, restaurant-cum-bar (also referred to as “resto-bar”) operators are having a collective headache.
“They have this sense of entitlement and this lackadaisical attitude,” Mantra Bar KL manager Jun Xia Soohu lamented when theSun spoke to her yesterday.
Jun said the authorities frequently check their premises and ask to see their operating licences to ensure resto-bars are following the rules.
“But our customers are making it difficult for us,” she said.
Operators of restaurants or other eateries are liable to a penalty if their customers do not observe the SOP.
Nightspots such as bars, pubs and night clubs have not been allowed to reopen for business since the movement control order (MCO) was imposed on March 18. This restriction has since been extended until Dec 31.
As a result, drinkers are forced to visit resto-bars for their daily pint.
Jun said there have been frequent instances when customers call to reserve a table for four only to show up with eight or more people.
“We try to give them a bigger table if possible, but at times we have no choice but to turn them away,” she said.
“Some people just don’t seem to care at this point. They just need to be more respectful and understand that their actions could cost us our business,” said Jun, adding that Mantra has lost 50% of its customers since the MCO began.
“It has had a major impact on us, but since we also serve food, it is still okay. We have not laid off any staff, which is a good thing,” she added.
For the staff and operator of Le Noir, things are not that good. In fact, the music club has not been allowed to operate after the MCO kicked in.
“Most of the staff are sole breadwinners in their families, so it’s really sad to see them suffer and having to look for jobs elsewhere. Some have yet to find anything,” general manager Amritpal Singh said.
He said the company was told to obtain a restaurant licence so it could continue to operate but that would change the outlet’s concept - from a “live” music club into a restaurant without entertainment.
“Perhaps, there can be SOP for our type of establishments. We could restrict it to a three-piece band to ensure social distancing among the musicians, disallow song requests and dancing and we can barricade the stage area,” he said.
Amrit said an association of nightclubs and bars is being set up to propose SOP for their kind of business.
“Perhaps if we present it to the National Security Council, it could be considered,” he said.
He pointed out that the entertainment industry contributes a lot in taxes and employs many people.
Read this story on our iPaper: Customers must behave for nightspots to carry on
