Alcohol ban at the Pearl

few restaurants already closed. no business. let the pension authority support them and start at least eating in the Pearl. i guss this country is turning to a place where you invest ur money in a business and all of sudden they change the rule and do not pay u the damages! wow amazing business plan to attract the business men and the big capitals specially for a place that will be hosting the 2022 ! cheers!

fubar is correct. But I would add that the UDC was apprehensive of buying a large stake in an area that has become notorious amongst locals for alcohol sales.

The ban came about just after the first round of negotiations between UDC and the pension fund fell apart -UDC was trying to do a bit of a dodgy deal.

So the government hit back. And then bought a stake in a now devalued project.

Pension fund - 1.

UDC - 0.

let the appraised value to go down by "the ban" and then the take-over! Is that it, Nomerci?

Yes by why did the party/buyer want alcohol to be stopped in the first place @nomerci??

I would think either religion/culture issues.

Ok, I have stayed out of this so far because I was waiting for somebody to come up with this (but nobody did..so here it goes):

These are my thoughts on the matter.

The ban of alcohol at the Pearl has nothing to do with religion, culture or politics.

It's business, cold hard cash..nothing more.

You have heard that the Pearl is to be sold.

So, one party expressed interest in the purchase, but with certain compromises...this one being that alcohol will cease to be sold at the Pearl outlets(this party is VERY clever)

The seller agreed, and negotiations about price began.

At some point during these drawn out negotiations, the would be buyer said that they were not willing to stick to the agreed price, as now the Pearl was worth less, because some businesses had closed( which, of course the buyer knew they would ).

That , of course, upset the seller...and everything came to a standstill...and this, IMHO, is what happened.

Yes Flor, it is First hand info, as it is my opinion.

Nomerci? Is that a first-hand information?

No Stealth, I haven't.

Let's see how it all pans out...it's quite interesting.

did you read the papers a few days back?

The pension authority has already taken a stake in the Pearl....

unless you have first hand info!

in the first p[lace, alcohol is NOT banned in the whole of Qatar! If they banned it totally, then maybe I'll join in complaining even though I don't "really" drink!

"In Europe we thought of wine as something as healthy and normal as food and also a great giver of happiness and well being and delight. Drinking wine was not a snobbism nor a sign of sophistication nor a cult; it was as natural as eating and to me as necessary." --- Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

nothing would be there on the papers that they signed. It must have all been an imagination, thats all. They thought they could sell alcohol.

Whoever it was in the Qatari government who watched and allowed the alcohol to be available in the first place must be feeling like an idiot now.

I cannot understand why it was EVER allowed.

The puzzling thing isn't why it was banned but who ever approved it.

Yes, I'd like to see the evidence of the "lies" to which Raven refers.

TRICKED? That's a serious allegation? Can you share any proof?

@2020 doesn't bother me one bit that its banned, I'm not an investor so just go to other places that do serve alcohol...I feel sorry for the companies who invested in the restaurants and were feed a bunch of lies that alcohol could be served to the punters, then theres a typical knee jerk reaction and they change the decision (conveinantly after they have the investors money)

could be that they were making profit only by selling alcohol rather than food. hence the drop in sales....

OK so why are sales down 50% if there are so many people willing and able to go to Pearl restaurants who don't need or want alcohol?

Let those who wish to frequent non-alcohol restaurants support them with their riyals.

Ah I see....

However, I still do not agree with what you said about not being able to enjoy a good meal without out getting drunk...

Its simply that some people (including myself) like a glass of wine or whatever with some meals when dining outside.

However, as my initial post says, I don't mind that the Pearl doesn't serve alcohol as elsewhere does anywhere. In saying that, I didn't know how much the ban had affected the restaurants until people advised me with their comments on this.

Which is a real shame....as the Pearl is a beautiful place.

How long is the ban gonna last??

missteacher--my post was not directed to you. My apologies if you thought it was.

raven1968--laugh all you want but my logic (and those who share it) was good enough to get your beloved alcohol banned from the Pearl. Now who's laughing?

hahaha 2020 your comments crack me up....so by your note any one having a drink with their meal is a drunk, wow the logic there is astounding!!

@2020 Olympics ....you just don't get it.

P.s. I am not complaining in my post, if you actually read it.

Still complaining? Time move on to a different restaurant if you cannot enjoy a meal without getting drunk.

Really??? ...thank Goodness you commented today, I was just about to pick up the car keys......

xxc did you read yesterdays paper?

The pensions authority has taken a stake in UDc....

well. it does not make sense to go to Pearl, pay for an expensive lunch or dinner and not having the option to have a glass of wine with ur steak! and the alcohol has nothing to do with making the place "a lil more cultural" !!!! its not a bar where u find drunk people usually so ?! but the real story is that UDC is trying to sell the pearl to the goverment and there was a deal but their first condition was to cut the alcohol serive. UDC accepted but the deal was not successful :) cheers.

Exactly.

well, there is the old motto in QL - if you dont like it, leave the place....

lol, took you a while timebandit :P

OMG!! I give up. To me this is common sense. Obviously some people just like to argue for the sake of it. I rest my case, and am not going to waste any more time on this thread.

but getting drunk does not start to many. It will start to sip at first then another glass then another glass and of course getting drunk.

Whilst I completely agree that certain individual really are used to it (taking small quantity with their meal) others, specifically locals (maybe) is the real problem so I think of the imposition of the ban. But again, their country, their rule.

between getting drunk every night and enjoying the odd glass of something. If Qatar wants to promote itself as a tourist destination it has to offer this.

JJJ wouldn’t u fancy a holiday where you ‘d just wake up every day fresh, without a hangover, ready to make the most of the day ahead with my children … That’s what Qatar is trying to promote.

Even though I don't see alcohol as a problem, it obviously is because I see here people are making such a big fuss, stressing about it! It obviously has some control over some folks.....which isn't good o_O!

PPl who want to get drunk on their annual holidays should board the next plane to Dubai. Simple as that.

DC - beg to differ, if you have holiday makers from europe who can go to UAE (serves Alcohol) or here (does not serve alcohol) which do you think they are going to choose??

Let's say for two people, the maximum for food they consume is 400 to 500in Qatari money.

Most of the people will have alcohol for almost 1,000 rayals.

So you can imagine, in a group, they consume 2,000 for food, but they consume 3,000 to 4,000 for alcohol when the rest of the world is dying from malnutrition and starvation!

Besides, Alcohol is obviously a sensitive issue and this is still a Muslim country!

Qatar, aspires to earn a spot on the international arena as an international and regional tourism destination, is more associated with sports, culture and high-level public meetings and conferences. They don't need Alcohol it's just not relevant to the cause.

Yep, really!!

so it has something to do with resto, open-close and alcohol ban.

It has something to do with alcohol, over-consumption makes some sadist but not on banning!

I sure do flor.

s-a-d-i-s-t?

jjj, I don't care if it becomes a ghost town. Do you? Let the super rich take that problem.

He would only be happy when he can have his Haagen Dazs in front of closed doors of the restos...nothing less would do.

@ flor... civily?? that is the best you always come up with when cornered or proven that you are actually not understanding things. Use of the words sadist and immature are nowhere near unnecessary neither the analogy, they are very much in context. Now help yourself, I aint explaining how.

TB - thanks for that, in fact those are the restos that my friend mentioned.

But even when Flor is provided with strong evidence of closures does not accede the point.

FLOR - you can have the satisfaction of enjoying the Pearl with no diners whatsoever if the trend continues - I am sure you will be happy then.

http://dohanews.co/post/17143990553?dd08d1f8

until you use language as immature and sadist unnecessarily. Even making an unnecessary analogy. Can you not debate civilly?

stop telling tales...or Golden Time will be lost for everyone!!

:P

now now...children!!

:P

so we wait for the others? Lol!

Really Megu???? I really liked that place :(

How annoying...

Megu and Tse Yiang

I will go look for the names now Flor

Yes jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj75 two restaurants have closed since the alcohol ban in the Pearl.

it is a question answerable by yes or no! Tsk tsk tsk. I have been there two nights ago and I did not see a closed restaurant. Or maybe I missed seeing it. Precisely I am asking! And my, your analogy sucks, RAPE? Lol!

jjj, unless your friend tell you the names, what can we call it, a hearsay?

As I said a friend who works in the restaurant business here and who keeps her ear to the ground has told me that 2 have already closed down, I forget the names but she knows her stuff as she likes to keep an eye on the competition, or not as the case may be!

flor...you sound like that typical police character depicted in Indian movies playing a negative role and would ask "did the rape really happen, if not come back when you are raped and we would file FIR and investigate"!!!

that already close down due to alcohol banning?

Going back to the original theme of this thread, it is the closing of the restaurants due to loss of alcohol sale that is significant. The Pearl is still being advertised as the "Riviera" of the Arabian Gulf. Without alcohol and the associated type of restaurants, you would be hard pressed to compare it with the Riviera. I would imagine the Qataris have the most to lose, as I suspect they are the most heavily invested there. I've never had a glass of alcohol in the Pearl yet, so I'm not really passionate on the subject. Just puzzled.

okay okay okay :)

True.

I have been a resident in Western countries, but it is still not my culture so my original point still applies.

.......however, I consider myself a resident here not a visitor as I have a permit. I don't consider anyone who lives in Britain who isn't British a 'visitor' as the deserve same rights as everyone else. I respect this Qatars culture and act appropriately.

Fair enough....

missteacher--I do avoid exposing my children and family to see alcohol drunk in public. That is why I am glad Pearl has stopped alcohol in restaurants. Good move I say.

As for your comment "So maybe it should be you that stays at home if you don't want to see anything that is forbidden......Or even better don't watch." How about you realize you are a guest here? It is not your country or your culture to change to meet your desire to do things publicly that the host culture knows to be against our religion?

When I am in New York I accept the norms of that culture and do not complain about alcohol being drunk so publicly. I tell my children this is foreign culture and we must respect that as visitors.

and took a small sip. It's good the Ace is with me. So she drive even if I can but still wary as the smell is still profound in the car. Lol!

Fair point...2020

"Qatar is a Muslim country and as Muslim I prefer not watching people drinking something that is forbidden."

So maybe it should be you that stays at home if you don't want to see anything that is forbidden......Or even better don't watch.

Drinking and driving is a no no....for most people, not everyone who drinks gets behind the wheel.

Flor as I said, if you have one sip of drink you should not drive here. That is zero tolerance.

Sheesha is legal. Crack is not. Sheesha is not forbidden in Islam, alcohol and crack are. There is not "moderation" in something forbidden.

This is Muslim country. Be grateful that we tolerate expats having alcohol at all. Many would prefer it not be in Qatar at all. As for myself, I prefer not see it publicly especially with my children around and so like many a support the move at the Pearl.

but you know the locals culture. Fr the liberals, they are more understanding about he expats but for the conservatives, the culture will come first or foremost.

The volume of alcohol really depends on a persons capacity to absorb alcohol in their body. If to others, common to western people, a glass or two will be normal and won't even be manifested in their look. But for some who are not "that used to it". a glass or two is still ok but the manifestation on physical look matters. MAny becomes to "reddish" and the smell is very profound. So that is the danger of alcohol, it maybe moderate may have trouble with authorities specifically if you are driving.

For me 7-8 large whisky on the rocks or even half a litre of Chinese wine is moderate...I would still drive you home safely...but for some even the sight of the FULL bottle may be excessive even if I had put some water in it but forgot to tear off the label, just saying. But we aren't talking of exceptions, are we.

2020 - check your vision, who said anything about drinking and driving. this is something that I would never advocate.

Never forget that Shisha is a narcotic like anything else but to many it is considerered moderate. just like I am saying one or two glasses of wine is moderate but drinking a bottle of spirits or several bottles of wine is excessive and would lead some people to say they are an alcoholic.

In addition, to use your analgy try telling a child who is around someone who smokes the shisha and develops lung problems that there is nothing wrong with a shisha - it is all relative 2020

jjj said: "It is like saying someone who smokes the shisha pipe is a hop skip and a jump away from being a crack addict."

--There is not crack in sheesha. ROFL. Maybe have been drinking too much?!

Qatar is a Muslim country and as Muslim I prefer not watching people drinking something that is forbidden. That is why I am glad alcohol has been removed from Pearl restaurants.

As for one or two glasses of wine being OK, tell that to police if you are in an accident. Any alcohol is over the limit in Qatar.

Flor - actually you can say fairly easily what is moderate when you have exact measurements - a glass or 2 of wine with a meal, most people would consider moderate. 3 bottles with a meal, most would consider excessive. But for some posters to call people alcoholics for having a glass or 2 of wine with a meal is this side of being rude. Again, it is like calling someone who enjoys a cigarette or the shisha a drug addict. fairly offensive.

Moderate will differ from person to person. some people will get drunk after 2 or 3, some won't until 5 or 6. Adults should know their own bodies and when to stop.

However, most people after 1 or 2 drinks are not drunk...just satisfied.

but the problem is determining what is "moderate".

I'm simply saying that if people state strong opinions about people who drink should stay at home, I think that smoking is personally worse than an adult having a glass of wine. Its when alcohol is abused when the problem starts.

2020 there is a significant different between having a glass of wine with your meal and getting drunk/being an alcohlic. It is like saying someone who smokes the shisha pipe is a hop skip and a jump away from being a crack addict. Not the same thing at all

but what you are wishing is too much? And you can start another thread for that! Lol!

Personally I think the smokers should stay home and off the roads. That way they are not creating passive smoking and affecting the health of others.

P.S People don't just drink alcohol to get drunk. They can have a glass or 2 without being drunk. Its something people enjoy like sheesha, or even smoking.

bla bla bla, complain, complain, complain. If you have to get drunk to have good times, then go somewhere else and let the rest of us enjoy the Pearl in peace. Better for everyone if those who must drink stays home and off the roads regardless.

I am glad to now be able to enjoy restaurants at the Pearl without my family having to alcohol everywhere and the bad things that go with it.

At the end of the day, this does not impact on me in anyway. I do not live in the Pearl, and have only eaten there a couple of times, and when I did, I was driving so way not drinking anyway. It would not affect me in anyway if every restaurant in the Pearl closed. Add to this the fact that I am only debating based on knowledge acquired through the press and QL, and you could say that my thoughts count for nothing. I guess the reason I am speaking up with my limited knowledge, is that it is my belief (based on the above) that someone, somewhere has made a knee jerk decision, and the restaurants that made long term business decisions based on alcohol licenses being in place are paying a heavy price for that license being removed without warning. And yes I do feel empathetic towards them. I am also assuming that other businesses considering opening up in Qatar, may be wondering what knee jerk decision could impact their business in the future whatever their industry. Yes this is Qatar, and Qatar has the right to govern as it wishes, but this does not reflect well on the decision makers, and may make prospective investors in Qatar nervous of the speed in which things can change direction here.

of the restaurant Owners BUT again, unless they have written contracts, then the best they can do is do some promotional gimmicks or find ways to recover losses.

And if you notice, the original OP is somehow "satisfied" with the current situation without seeing the great pictures as others are saying. There will be different opinions for sure, but who has the final say, the authorities. As I said before, hope they misjudge it and return the alcohol there, so everybody is happy, I mean those who wants alcohol while dining. Me, I can dine without alcohol, so it will still be fine with me.

I guess the restaurants wish they had got something in writing. But hindsight is always 20/20 vision. I can only assume, but I suspect they were simply told that the Pearl was going to be different, and they had no reason to believe that changes in policy such as licences to sell alcohol would be removed with so little warning, and perhaps so little consideration. In the same way people buying (or should I say leasing) property in the Pearl were assured they would get 99 year visas which still have not manifested. The Pearl was supposed to be different, special, slightly offset from the rest of Qatar.

is an "open city"?

It's just like saying that in Dubai, they were "made to understand" that they can have sex on the beach?

no written rules so what's to complain?

And let me remind you, Prism, the license to purchase alcohol has an id and procedure to get one. If they eventually banned alcohol sale, then they have to refund the "bond" the id holders made.

So not everything about alcohol is unwritten or no rule. Now, unless these restaurant Owners can produce a proof that they were "made to understand" that they are permitted to serve alcohol, then what are we talking about here?

I'm with jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj75 on this. The Pearl was too be a different lifestyle to the rest of Qatar. It was if you like, a theme park, and the theme was continental. Take the theme away and they are just another restaurant (of which Qatar already has plenty) only I suspect paying higher rent. They can slash their prices to increase covers, or increase their prices to make up for the lack of covers. But without the theme, who is going to travel out of their way for just another restaurant? Now they are reliant on Pearl residents, and there simply is not enough of them. Watch them fall like flies now, with no one to replace them.

'Given to understand' cos there are no written rules here for consumption of alcohol and hence it doesnt find place in the law book...so whatever happens in the name of alcohol is based on words. Get your facts straight before trying to do what you normally do or are expected to do on such posts...but then atleast do it right.

and I can run to Hagen Daz at The Pearl for that ice cream! Lol! I did, yesterday!

Flor, you are right, it is their country their rule but I am not sure you are grasping the concept that these restaurants are going out of business and not being replaced by other business -it will be ghost town on the pearl. So enjoy your alcohol free dining experience, soon you will have no dining experience on the pearl

who gave them the idea in the first place, the government?

Are you here when they tore down RYDGES? Have you seen al the new;y-built big houses they demolished to implement a project?

Bottom line is, their country, their rule. They are not banning alcohol TOTALLY! Wake-up!

The moot point is they were given to understand that they would be allowed to serve alcohol and yes there are niche clients which a resto has in mind when it sets out to open one. IMO not a very good or should I say not at all a good way of handling investment by changing rules of the game after the investment is done. It just goes to prove why businesses charge so high for anything and everything and I am with them, cos they need to breakeven as early as possible never knowing when the rules would be changed to their detriment.

I think its a lovely place and nice for locals to go to and for them to know that it is an alcohol free zone. However, from what people are saying about sales on this forum, I think most expats have & will decide to dine elsewhere, where alcohol is available. Hopefully the restaurant wont close due to lack of sales because it really is a beautiful place.

Well the restaurants just have to change their strategies. If they based their sales on the projection of Alcohol been sold then it was very naive of them.

They should really focus on quality food and the customers will flock to their eateries.

I have no problem with going to Carluccio's as long as they serve me good food.

restaurants will not make Qatar "stop". Just wish that they made a mis-judgment. If they allow it again, GOOD. If not, BETTER!

but without customers, it ruins the atmosphere of the pearl, as one person put it earlier on, with only tables occupied it was not a good environment to be in. myself like many of my friends have stopped going and will not return. not so much fun eating somewhere where you are the only diners

for me it's a waste of money. The issue here is dining without alcohol. Let the business owner have that problem. Find a way to recover in other ways, if not, close down. Intercon and Hyatt are just around the corner. What do you care about these Owners, they are rich and plenty of money. Use it in promotional gimmicks that don't involve alcohol. If that does not work, close down again is the option. Or open a parallel restaurant outside The Pearl!

Should those restaurants that cannot operate without the sales of alcohol close down, perhaps those that can do so successfully ,sans spirits , might open up in their place. Plenty of even high end restos in Qatar do operate profitably without alcohol available, so perhaps they might just branch out to the pearl. Either ways I can't imagine that the management of the Pearl took such a drastic decision without knowing the concequences and without a back up plan.

Also Flor, for those restaurants that are still there but are experiencing falling sales, what do you think they are going to do to increase revenue - that's right put their prices up, will you still enjoy your alcohol free environment knowing that the price of your meal has increased?

Yes much better without all the alcoholism. Now a family can go there without worry and enjoy the meal and wonderful atmosphere.

flor, the problem is that the whole place was marekting itself on a certain type of lifestyle and attracted a certain type of restaurant. With those restaurants gone, it will not be the place it was set up to be and is likely to have futher impact on those that want to live there, cue, great white elephant, as they say

and replace with restaurant that don't need to serve alcohol. Is it really all about business? As some says, they can enjoy their dinner without alcohol, so what's the real problem? Or alcohol is really that important to meal? Which is which?

Alcohol is STILL available in other restaurant, right?

I thought this too with the businesses suffering due to the sales going down, I was just so surprised on Friday when there was pretty much a full restaurant. Maybe just a busy day for them! I would only chose to go to the pearl on the odd occasion for the beauty of it though.

I can also enjoy a meal without a glass of wine but the reality is for those that say these businesses don't need to serve alcohol to remain solvent, the plain evidence is they can't, as predicted by many in early forums. And yes perhaps this topic has been done to death but this is purely an update now on the impact of that ban

I can enjoy the Pearl without alcohol. But the businesses cannot operate on 50% fewer sales. And corporations cannot gamble on capricious rules.

Mandi

you can enjoy there even without alcoholic drinks.....

The Qatar! Lol!

I wonder if they ban alcohol all together except at home. Will there be underground restaurant and pubs? Lol! Are we not finish with this topic?

Funnily enough, i met my friend in the restaurant trade today. She said 2 restaurants have already shut down because of it, as predicted in earlier forums, enjoy while you can because it does seem that this ban is having a major affect on trade and for those who are happy with the ban, hope you are happy when you have nowhere to go on the pearl for a meal

That's where I was and the place was packed! I was really surprised!

I mean it makes it feel more like I'm in the Middle East in a Muslim and Arabic culture.

(Mod Note: Comment deleted. Please read the Community Guidelines regarding PM)

Please keep your opinions and comments on the public forum please.

Teacher's are not a different species, we are human too. What I do in my spare time is my business.

What do you mean by a lot more 'cultural' ?

I was at Carluccio's and counted exactly 5 tables with customers, the place was empty and the atmosphere was dreadful.

My friend who works in the restaurant business in Qatar says these restaurants are really suffering from a drop in business. So Missteacher, enjoy while you can, they could be closing soon. (and yes, might be busy at the weekend, most restaurants are but most of these business it is make or break in the week time, when it is known to be slow on the pearl)