In a dry daze: Night life takes a backseat

MUMBAI: It is but natural that we would shelve our leisure, entertainment and purchasing activities during a crisis. This truism is amply evident at the city's many malls, departmental stores, electronics stores, restaurants and, surprisingly, even watering holes. Malls are wearing a deserted look and there has been a drop of upto 75% in clientele at restaurants and stores.And people aren't drowning their sorrows either. Liquor shops and bars are also seeing fewer footfalls.
Psychiatrist Dr Ashit Sheth said, "When you are running for your life, you don't have time to drink. In a crisis or a war, drinking could lead to harm. People want to be fully alert and functional to fight or flee. Besides, adrenaline is too high to seek relaxation.''
Perhaps this primal reaction to danger is making people steer clear of their usual weekend plans. An employee at Worli's Cafe Ivy Bar & Bistro said the place got just Rs 1,000 to 2,000 worth of business on Friday. Ashok, of Bandra's Kashmir Wines, too conceded that clientele had dropped sharply-by as much as 50%-following Wednesday's senseless attack. "We are expecting a bad weekend. People are scared and psyched and don't want to drink. Our foreign buyers have disappeared,'' he said.
The scene at nightclubs isn't any better. Most remained shut on Thursday and some more, such as Juhu's Enigma, have decided to stay closed till things look up. An employee at Blue Frog, Lower Parel, said there was a massive drop in bookings for Friday. "We haven't got anything close to the normal Friday bookings,'' he said.
Hard Rock Cafe, also saw many cancel confirmed bookings. "People aren't coming out of their homes,'' said an employee.
Cancelled social events, such as weddings, have only deepened the gloom at the city's snack stores. Chetan Chheda of Matunga's Chheda Dry Fruits said such disasters see a 25 to 40% drop in clientele.
The other casualties are malls and departmental stores. Alfa, an electronics store at Irla, said business had definitely been hit.