No masti this New Year Eve

No masti this New Year Eve
Terror, Meltdown Force Hotels To Slash Spending
Anshul Dhamija | TNN

Bangalore: Will Bangalore rock this New Year’s Eve? If you’re eagerly awaiting disco lights, Bollywood damsels and heart-throbs, funky DJs playing hip-hop, rock ‘n’ roll and some exotic culinary delights, too bad because you could well be confined to the comforts of your home.
The economic slowdown, the terror threats and the city’s moral policing have combined to push luxury hotels to slash their spends on the month-end celebrations.
“We’ve cut our December festival spend by 30-40% compared to last year,” says Harinder Singh, GM, The Lalit Ashok. The mood among the people, she says, is gloomy. “There will be some celebration for guests staying at our hotel,” she says. The hotel will even trim down the spend on decorations. The Park Hotel has cut spends on celebrations by 15% compared to last year. A senior official of a leading luxury property in Bangalore says, “In honour of our colleagues who lost their lives in the Mumbai terror attacks, we have decided to have a sombre celebration.”
Last year, Ista spent close to Rs 5 lakh in planning and marketing its Christmas and New Year parties; this year, it has spent a little less than Rs 2 lakh.
Some hotels say the banqueting spaces typically used to hold parties is being leased out for weddings and other functions. With this, the hotel does not lose on the hefty revenue. Generally, a New Year’s Eve party at luxury hotels would cost around Rs 10,000-12,000 per couple. Hoteliers say on such occasions the food and beverage business surges by 50%, with a minimum guest list of 500 people.
Some hotels have still not decided on what they plan to do between December 25 and January 1. Planning for such events is normally done 2-3 months in advance.
SPIRIT OUT
Lights dimming on New Year’s Eve parties. Terror, downturn, moral policing to blame Many hoteliers fume at the 11.30 pm deadline for partying Bangalore biggest party-pooper in India on New Year Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad, among other A-cities, party well into the New Year morning