Bars, cafes face gloomy trade during Idul Fitri holidays<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Most the capital's noted bars, cafes and
\nrestaurants, including those in five-star hotels, are projected
\nto record a drastic downturn of between 25 percent to 50 percent
\nin sales during the Idul Fitri holidays from last year's figures,
\ntheir managers have said.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately on Friday and Saturday, the managers said
\nthat this drastic downturn would be caused mainly by the impact
\nof the prolonged economic crisis.<\/p>\n
The gloomy projection would be worsened by Governor Sutiyoso's
\nrecent circular forbidding any live entertainment at
\nentertainment spots, including cafes, bars, pubs, restaurants and
\ndiscotheques, on Jan. 18 to Jan. 20.<\/p>\n
\"Live entertainment of the kind we have in B.A.T.S. bar and
\nrestaurant picks up a huge clientele. Since it is forbidden, we
\nare bound to lose customers,\" said Romy Herlambang, public
\nrelations manager of the Shangri-La Hotel which houses the
\nB.A.T.S. bar and restaurant.<\/p>\n
Chandra Wati, public relations manager of the Crowne Plaza,
\nsaid that the number of people dining at her hotel's coffee shop
\nduring Idul Fitri was expected to reach only half of last year's
\nfigure of about 200.<\/p>\n
\"The hotel has offered special prices for lunches, dinners and
\nbuffets. But who will care even though their housemaids have left
\nfor their hometowns?\" Chandra asked.<\/p>\n
\"We feel people will stay home, stock up on food and cook.\"<\/p>\n
Dewi Widyanti, a manager of the Hilton Hotel International,
\nsaid that 2,000 dined at the hotel in the Idul Fitri holidays
\nlast year and she expected no increase this year.<\/p>\n
The Hard Rock Cafe, according to its assistant general manager
\nYoris Sebastian, will close on Jan. 19, the first day of the Idul
\nFitri holidays, but will remain open on Jan. 18, Jan. 20 and Jan.
\n21.<\/p>\n
Yoris said that the cafe, famous for its excellent live music
\nperformances, was expecting a major downturn from its sales about
\na week ahead Idul Fitri and will hold no performances on Jan. 20.<\/p>\n
\"About 50 percent of the cafe staff are off on their holidays.
\nWe don't expect much on Idul Fitri. We are not serving alcohol
\neither on Jan. 20.\"<\/p>\n
Fashion Cafe will open on both days of Idul Fitri, but will
\nneither serve alcohol nor hold any live performances.<\/p>\n
The cafe's operations manager Erwin Effendi said that the
\nsituation during Idul Fitri was usually unpredictable.<\/p>\n
\"As in previous years, we will have people calling up, asking
\nif the cafe is open or not. So, the cafe may be full or have no
\ncustomers at all. We are not expecting anything,\" Erwin said.<\/p>\n
Andy Ryan, general manager of Planet Hollywood Jakarta, echoed
\nErwin's remark, saying that business will be \"as usual\" on the
\nIdul Fitri holidays, but the restaurant will neither serve
\nalcohol nor hold any live performances.<\/p>\n
Hotels<\/p>\n
In the case of five-star hotels, special room packages to lure
\nmore guests during the season of slow business, and cakes in
\ntheir pastry shops are expected to override the gloom on dining
\ntables.<\/p>\n
Offers are being made as well to boost the sagging hotel
\nbusiness during the remaining few days to Idul Fitri, which has
\nto date failed to make a difference to city residents and
\nexpatriates.<\/p>\n
Chandra said that on Friday, just four days before Idul Fitri,
\nthe occupancy of the 190-room Crowne Plaza reached 32 percent.<\/p>\n
\"This was down from the 45 percent occupancy in the
\ncorresponding period last year. We do have 38 reservations on
\nhand now for Idul Fitri... nothing is for sure yet,\" Chandra
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She added that at Rp 520,000 (US$69.33), plus service tax, the
\nhotel was offering Indonesians and foreigners holding limited
\nstay permits (KIM-S) a deluxe room, breakfast for two, late
\ncheckout time at 4 p.m., minibar items, local telephone calls,
\nfaxes and four items of laundry, all free of charge.<\/p>\n
\"On ordinary days it was Rp 595,000++ per person. The room
\npackage is valid till Jan. 20,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Despite the 35 percent occupancy of the 1,004-room Hilton
\nhotel on Friday, the hotel had 200 reservations on hand for Idul
\nFitri and was optimistic.<\/p>\n
Room packages at the Hilton are going at Rp 350,000 for a
\ndeluxe room in the main tower and Rp 450,000 for one in the
\nLagoon and Garden towers, complete with hotel benefits. The
\npackage is valid for Indonesian citizens and KIM-S holders till
\nJan. 31.<\/p>\n
\"If you stay for two nights, you'll get an additional night's
\nstay at the Hilton for free and if you book two rooms, you get a
\nthird room for free,\" Dewi said.<\/p>\n
\"On ordinary days the package was Rp 500,000 for a room in the
\nmain tower and Rp 600,000 for one in the Lagoon and Garden
\ntowers.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, cake shops of some of the five-star hotels have
\nsince Christmas generated four times the daily revenues they make
\non ordinary days.<\/p>\n
Ali Reza of the pastry shop at the Borobudur Intercontinental
\nsaid that it stood to make over Rp 15 million a day selling
\ncakes, pastries, cookies and the like during the holiday season.<\/p>\n
The Borobudur pastry shop is offering, among other things, the
\nSurabaya lapis legit cake for Rp 95,000, coconut cookies at Rp
\n28,000 per cylinder (300 grams), Tiramisu cake at Rp 110,000 per
\nkilo and chocolate cake at Rp 110,000.<\/p>\n
The Mandarin pastry shop reportedly makes at least Rp 30
\nmillion daily during the holiday season, while the Shangri-La
\ncake shop is expecting to make Rp 18 million a day. (ylt)<\/p>",
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