IPL fever boosts bar and pub business amid sweltering heatwave
bars, pubs and cafes are capitalising on a surge in interest among fans. The ongoing heatwave means alarge number of cricket enthusiasts are gravitating toward air-conditioned comfort to avoid having to sweat it out in sweltering stadiums, executives said.
Bars and pubs said they are rolling out live screenings, trying to replicate a stadium-like atmosphere with curated sports menus, cocktails, beer buckets and staff dressed in IPL jerseys. Some are even providing team apparel and merchandise.
To be sure, elections in Mumbai (May 20) and Delhi-Gurgaon (May 25) will mean alcohol-free dry days around those dates in those regions but executives said they expect to make up for that in other states. Besides, folks may be drawn by the group-watching vibe even without the booze, they said.
“Sports bars that rely heavily on alcohol sales may experience a slight dip in revenue through the earlier matches,” said Abhilash Menon, director at Studs Sports Bar & Grill. “But even then, we expect people to still come to watch the matches, not just for alcohol but also for food and other drinks. Overall, the IPL excitement should bring in a lot of people even with the dry days.”
Constituencies go dry two days before polling and on election day itself. In Delhi for example, the period extends from 6 pm on May 23 to 6 pm on May 25. To be sure, the semifinals start May 21, which means Mumbaikars can be accompanied by their favourite tipple through to the final stages of the tournament.
‘Multiple activities lined up’
The final will
