M G Road Coffee House a thing of past

M G Road Coffee House a thing of past
By Chethan Kumar, DH News Service, Bangalore:
For a generation that built memories over a cuppa at the Coffee House on MG Road, it's time for farewell...


Curtains are likely to come down on the 52-year-old landmark coffee restaurant within the next six weeks, following the culmination of a legal battle.

The Indian Coffee House had filed a case in 2002-2003 seeking a court direction to the owner of the building to hand over the property.

But the Coffee House was asked to vacate in 2006. It then submitted a memo pleading the court for a 30-month extension. The court directed it to vacate by November 31, 2008.

With the extension period having expired, the workers are preparing for the worst: A closure by February-end. For customers who had been frequenting the place for decades, that would mean a virtual end to a culture statement.

Unless Coffee House shifts to its Avenue Road address, the shutdown would jeopardise the employees’ future. That uncertainty was writ large on the visages of the waiters at the restaurant even on Saturday, since the end is imminent.

The closure also implies an end to a virtual ritual for people like Ramchandra Sharma, owner of Phoenix Watches on MG Road. “The first cup of coffee I drank at the Coffee House cost me two-and-a-half annas, and today’s cup cost Rs 9,” recalled the 67-year-old Sharma.

Beyond numbers, those words echo a legacy. For many other regulars, too, the news of its closure was hard to digest. Coffee House for them was much more than a place to have coffee. “I don’t have a plan now to start my day; that is what I’ll be deprived of, if the restaurant closes down. Now, I am stranded.”

Interior designer Bernard Shaw summed up the public sentiment.

“This was the most reliable meeting destination for me. I have converted so many meetings into deals here, and now I wonder if I’ll be stuck at office.” Baldeep Singh’s remarks prove Coffee House goes beyond mere sentiments. Its affordable menu offering coffee at Rs 9; home-like ambience with people walking around sprinkling water at you as a friendly gesture; and you can’t contest just why many call this place their second home.