FLor: I'm not sure I understand your first sentence - I think you are saying that western businesses (or people??) are going to be coming to Qatar whether they like it or not, owing to the strength of the economy?? I'm just not so sure that foreign investors will be too keen to throw down the cash to invest in an unstable environment.
As to the point about restaurants providing alcohol - I'll let you in on a secret. I don't drink alcohol at the local restaurants. It's too damn expensive. I'd rather by 5 times more and consume it at home. But I also don't eat out that much. I prefer to entertain. But having said that, when I do go out to a nice restaurant, it will be in order to enjoy good food AND good wine. So from now on I won't be dining at The Pearl. I'll be at one of hotels. Whatever - The Pearl was a pain in the ass to me anyway and I hardly ever went there.
At the end of the day, no one really knows how this will end up playing out. But if we stick around and watch, we will find out sooner or later. Either the ban will be lifted, or it won't. And if it isn't, then we'll get to find out just how important booze was for these places in attracting clientele.
FLor: I'm not sure I understand your first sentence - I think you are saying that western businesses (or people??) are going to be coming to Qatar whether they like it or not, owing to the strength of the economy?? I'm just not so sure that foreign investors will be too keen to throw down the cash to invest in an unstable environment.
As to the point about restaurants providing alcohol - I'll let you in on a secret. I don't drink alcohol at the local restaurants. It's too damn expensive. I'd rather by 5 times more and consume it at home. But I also don't eat out that much. I prefer to entertain. But having said that, when I do go out to a nice restaurant, it will be in order to enjoy good food AND good wine. So from now on I won't be dining at The Pearl. I'll be at one of hotels. Whatever - The Pearl was a pain in the ass to me anyway and I hardly ever went there.
At the end of the day, no one really knows how this will end up playing out. But if we stick around and watch, we will find out sooner or later. Either the ban will be lifted, or it won't. And if it isn't, then we'll get to find out just how important booze was for these places in attracting clientele.