Kolkata nightclubs get back in groove, but old vibe still missing – Times of India

Kolkata: The city is slowly getting back to its swinging ways but the party people are sorely missing the dance floor.
Nightclubs and party zones that opened for business from the first week of September have seen footfall slide up slowly. Most party zones had a high turnout last weekend than the previous one and with the start of IPL from Saturday, the owners are hopeful of a further spike in footfall over the coming weeks. But sans the dance floor and with the number of guests still restricted, patrons say the old vibe is still missing.
Even though revenue-wise it’s still not a happy picture, nightclubs are relieved to see the crowd swell with each passing week. “Footfalls remain low but we are happy to see people coming in. From the next month, we expect a bigger crowd, especially in the weeks leading up to the pujas,” said Gaurav Karnani of nightclub Grid. He added that the biggest problem could be controlling the number of guests. “We are worried about ensuring the place doesn’t get overcrowded. We realize that it will take some time for things to return to normal,” Karnani said.
With a ban on dance floor, swinging to the beats while sitting on the chair is going to be the new normal for nightclubs, pointed out Varun Bhimani of Mbar. “Businesswise, it’s slow but steadily people are coming back. This weekend has been better than the last one and we expect an even bigger crowd next weekend. With the festive season already flagged off, people are venturing out. The crowd is going to be smaller but we must accept that since this is the new normal for partying,” said Bhimani.
Avishikta Basu, a party-hopper, is excited about the reopening of pubs. “I was at Roxy last week and am planning to go again this week. But that old vibe is still missing since there’s no dance floor. But at least we can have that party feel,” she said.
Pub owners and party hoppers are also fumed at the fact that while pubs and nightclubs in Kolkata are being allowed to stay open till midnight, those under Bidhannagar police commissionerate are being asked to shut down within 10.30pm. “Rules should be same for everywhere. We had a great time at Refinery091 last week and it was great catching up with friends like old times. But with the party getting over at 10.30pm, something was amiss,” he gushed.
Nightclubs are sparing no effort to ensure that their patrons remain safe. At 10 Downing Street – a nightclub at Sector V – sanitization is under way for more than a week before it opens its doors to the public next week.
We have set up two entry points — one to the kitchen for staff entry and the other for guests through the main door where guards have been placed and thermal checking will be done. We are also trying to sanitize guests’ footwear. All tables will have sanitizer sachets and the staff will wear masks or face shields,” said owner Hemant Agarwal. He added that the club will allow only 110 at present though it has a capacity to host 400 people. Music will be played but the dance floor will not be open.