To be or not to be: Things to mull before popping the cork in Kerala

Signalling a tectonic shift, state mulls setting up of pubs. The Chief Minister, who opened up on the issue, attributed the decision to long-running complaints from professionals that those working late hours in the state have few if any avenues for recreation. And swanky pubs could well be the solution, he said.  Amid the strong feelings, in favour and against, Express  pops the cork to see what lies beneath the fizz

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has for long been grappling with conservatism on the one hand and progressive outlook, social acceptability for drinking included, on the other. Finally, the dye is cast with the government giving the all-clear to pubs for the urban populace, especially techies to unwind after a hard day’s grind.

Though there is hardly a sphere of human activity or a corner of the world where Malayalees haven’t left their indelible imprint, until now the ‘pub culture’ in neighbouring states spawned by the Information Technology(IT) boom found few takers here.

Notwithstanding this, Malayalees along with their counterparts from other states are increasingly hitting the dance floor in swanky pubs elsewhere. But the pertinent question is how long can the state choose to plough a lonely furrow when every effort is being made to woo global IT majors to set up shop in Kerala, besides hard-selling the state as a must-visit tourist destination.

Gen-next is more adaptive. The younger workforce mainly employed by IT majors balance tradition and Western outlook. Besides trying out the new work culture, the youth are game for experimenting with food, entertainment, beverages, mode of dressing and even style of celebration. So it’s time to go and think beyond the traditional boundaries.  A lot can happen over a mug of beer, irrespective of whether the occasion is personal, social or professional.

Moreover, having such a facility nearby helps one unwind in an ambient setting. Going to pubs is fun and these are no more the dark-dingy corners with blaring music. It can attract a  wider clientele as late-night gathering, partying and reunions have become part of present-day life.

Government for opening pubs
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has finally opened up on the issue during his weekly TV programme. According to him, the state is ready to allow pubs in the cities as it has been a long pending demand of the techie workforce. How much time it will take or how soon it will be a reality will depend on the follow-up action by various stakeholders.

Bevco stats
The state had sold around 121.12 lakh cases of beer in the last financial year, registering a growth of 5 per cent. And around 40 per cent of these was sold through bars, wine parlours and bar hotels, with Bevco outlets accounting for the remaining 60 per cent. Over 95 per cent of the beer sold through Bevco outlets is consumed on the streets since drinking at home is still considered a taboo in Kerala. Even at the national level, beer consumption in bar and restaurants constitutes a  mere 10 per cent.

Steady traffic to other cities on weekends
Technopark and Infopark, respectively in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi together provide employment to over one lakh people in the state. Technopark where more than 400 IT firms employ over 60,000 techies, 30 per cent of whom are north Indians. A good number of techies prefer to go to Bengaluru, Goa and Coimbatore during weekends to have fun since they experience some restrictions on hanging out late into the night. Lately, there is a shift in the pattern of pub visits, according to experts. Earlier, while weekends witnessed the maximum rush, nowadays it’s the midweek when the patrons descend on the pubs in their droves after work.

Take of hoteliers
Hoteliers and bar owners claim that opening pubs will promote healthy drinking in the state. Bottled beer being sold through Bevco outlets or bars has more glycerine content which is harmful to health if one has more beers at frequent intervals. But pubs offer draught beer or craft beer in which the glycerine content is very low and hence is healthier than bottled beer.

Further, customers can be get a variety of flavours. The only problem is that the draught or draft beer has to be sold on the same day. Or else it will become stale. The beer served in every pub has a distinctive taste which fuels customer loyalty resulting in soaring business. Hence, the state should also allow microbrewery licence to them as well.

Tourism
The annual tourist footfall to Kerala has been pegged at over 10 lakh (one million) foreigners and around 1.5 crore domestic travellers on an average. Kerala’s liquor policy had made a severe dent on the state’s tourism sector recently when the UDF government prohibited liquor sale, leading to a drop in tourist arrivals. The severe impact was felt in the growth of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) business. The tourist inflow regained its momentum only after the incumbent LDF government reversed the policy. Even when Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo and other neighbouring foreign tourist destinations register a major leap in the tourist numbers, the absence of enough recreational facilities is hampering the growth of Kerala, according to various tourism bodies.

Disadvantages
It is a proven fact that consumption of alcohol is dangerous. In many cities, youth visiting pubs has led to rise in cases of drink drive accidents. This has to be effectively tackled. Another concern is youth are likely to be drawn to drugs in pubs. But it was during the days of prohibition, the maximum number of narcotic drug cases were registered in Kerala. So it’s up to the state to strike a balance between development and tradition, as it can ill-afford to lag behind in both. Drinking is part of social culture in Kerala, where each town boasts a few bars, classified in different categories from cheap or ordinary to classier venues. In cities outside Kerala, the resto-pub or resto-bar are catching the imagination of the people where people including family can get together over food or a mug of beer and feel the pulse of late night partying