About 40 out of the 60 applicants have been issued FL 11 licence for running beer-wine parlours in the district on Monday.
More than 100 bars that had been shut in the district have been given the option of getting beer-wine parlour licence as a continuation of the FL 3 licence, which was not renewed since last April.
Deputy Excise Commissioner had been authorised to issue the licence using the powers of the Excise Commissioner. Bar owners willing to reopen their bars as beer-wine parlours will be allotted licence based on quality inspection conducted by the excise department and on payment of Rs. 4 lakh as licence fee.
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The department had already completed the inspection of 40 closed bars for overall hygiene of permit rooms, where the beer-wine parlour will be operated, additional permit rooms and family rooms. Apart from the licence fee, bar owners will have to shell out Rs. 20,000 for additional permit room and another Rs. 50,000 to run roof garden.
These licences will expire on March 31, after which the owner will have to get the licence renewed by paying the fees afresh.
Bar owners had some difficulty in getting the stock, which delayed the opening of many beer-wine parlours till evening on Monday. They, however, expect the situation to stabilise in the coming days with Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) taking steps to procure enough stock to meet the increased demand for beer.
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