Though Prohibition will remain suspended in Tamil Nadu from to-morrow, bars will not be allowed in hotels and restaurants, according to a decision taken by the State Government [Madras, Aug. 29]. Social clubs will, however, be permitted to serve liquor to its members as hitherto. But the license fee in their case will be doubled from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000. In addition, these organisations will be required to pay a club fee of Rs. 2 (instead of Rs. 1.60) for every 50 bottles of liquor served to its members. An official spokesperson explained there were at present 22 social clubs in the State holding two kinds of licences, F.L.2 and F.L.2-A. The former authorised them to serve drinks to its members, both Indian and foreign, while the latter restricted it to foreigners alone. This discrimination would be removed from to-morrow and there would be a single licence for all clubs. Western-style hotels holding F.L.-3 licences are now permitted to supply liquor to foreign tourists and foreign residents for consumption within their private rooms at the hotels.
