Satish (name changed) of a restaurant and popular watering hole in Vagator, which reopened this season after being shut for the last two due to some legal issues, was looking forward to a grand revival, He began well with most of his old patrons coming back. The buzz was back and Satish felt good that his perseverance paid off.
Today he is spending sleepless nights speaking to parents of his workers, in the villages of UP, Bihar and other places pleading with them that their sons are safer in Goa and not force them to travel to their villages by any means possible. It’s not that he can afford to pay them salaries. But he has given them accommodation and can take care of their food, twin luxuries that will become dearer as businesses continue to remain shut.
The nightlife industry has well and truly gone to bed. Bands that provide the best of music have shows cancelled in these regular joints. Aaron Teles, the manager of one of Goa’s leading bands, Raul with Raagas2Riches, informs that their shows including weddings and a big fete were cancelled. “There is no plan B as no one can get out of the house and everyone is from all over Goa.”
Goodlife, a company headed by the trio of Amit Bakhale, Gregg Furtado, and Gautam Bakhale runs prominent restaurants like Cohiba, Favela and Taverna regards the safety of its employees more importantly. “It is a matter of lives. You cannot get your health back. We wanted our staff to be safe and sound and we shut down all the places before the announcement of the lockdown,” says Bhakle
Sahil Adwalpalkar, Director, SinQ Hospitality says, “All establishments were shut down on March 15 as the first circular was for closing of bars and restaurants. Later the notice of lockdown was issued. Now it looks like the lockdown is not going to end soon and we will follow what instructions are issued accordingly”.
He also saw that his staff is taken good care of. “We have accommodations for the staff and we provided them with masks and hand sanitizers. Those who were from out of state left before the lockdown for their native place. There is enough ration in store. There is an entire system in place,” adds Sahil.
Donovan Vaz of Firefly by Pedritos in South Goa is going to wait it out till the end of the season. “We will wait it out till June-July as 99 per cent of our clients are Goans. Once we open up we will have no problem. Most of our staff are Goans and we want to take utmost precautions before coming back into the store. We have to wait and watch,” he says
Rohan Barbosa was one of the top ten bartenders in India for the Diageo World Class bartending championship in 2019. Currently working with Sinq hospitality, he is practising his skills at home. “We really don’t have any plans right now. We were supposed to take part in the bartending competition at the end of March which were to be held in Sydney. Unfortunately, that too got cancelled. Now, I’m keeping myself busy by participating in life sessions online and keeping up with international bartenders who I met during the competition. We are learning to make cocktails using ingredients that are available in the kitchen,” says Rohan from Moira.
As one says, there is light at the end of the tunnel, here’s hoping for better days for the nightlife segment of Goa.
