Bars across TG to shut today as protest against licence fee hike

Hyderabad: The Telangana Bar and Restaurant Owners Association has called for a shutdown of business establishments on Monday in protest against the State government’s decision to increase the licence fee for bars.

The owners are also likely to stage a protest at the State Excise office on Monday. According to the association, the State government has issued a fresh notification inviting applications for setting up new bars and restaurants in Hyderabad and other districts.

Under the previous notification, bar owners paid an annual licence fee of Rs 40 lakh. The new notification has increased the fee to Rs 45 lakh, which the association said was unaffordable.

The association said the bar business, particularly in Hyderabad, was already facing several challenges and was not lucrative. It pointed out that the government had also allowed permit rooms at all liquor shops, affecting bar businesses.

Several bars are reportedly operating under financial stress, the association said, urging the government to reconsider the fee hike and reduce the annual licence fee.

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The Hans India