Ban @ the Pearl
Confusion over a booze ban in Qatar has led a major global hotel chain to reconsider new projects in the super-wealthy nation.
Accor – owner of hotel brands including Ibis, Sofitel and Novotel – say it feels it has no other option but to rethink previously planned projects in Doha – citing confusion over a recent ban on alcohol in parts of the Qatari capital.
Previous reports have said a decision made last December to suspend the sale of alcohol on Qatar’s flagship Pearl development in Doha – an artificial island dubbed the ‘Arab Riviera’ that is home to many international restaurants – has seen profits fall by 50 per cent at some outlets.
Christophe Landais, managing director of Accor Middle East, has told 7DAYS that there are projects in the Gulf country “we won’t take” due to the recent ban.
“There is confusion over the ban. It’s not quite clear whom the ban affects,” he says.
“There are some hotels that have alcohol, and some that do not. Is it the wish of the investor who doesn’t want alcohol? Or is it legislation? And that we don’t know yet.”
Landais says the confusion is now endangering his firm’s commitment to certain Qatar projects. “We have one project in particular where it will be difficult to do it without alcohol – and to be honest we have yet to reach a decision on whether we are going to,” he added.
However, Accor yesterday announced plans to open 23 new hotels with 5,891 rooms across the Middle East within the next three years. That figure includes a further 12 properties in the UAE – a country it sees as a “key market”. Landais moved to allay fears regional pressures could force Dubai into introducing similar curbs on the sale of alcohol as those in Qatar.
“No, I would be very surprised if Dubai went down that road,” he said.
“In Dubai you have a choice whether you have alcohol or not… there has been that flexibility and freedom for a long time.”
Try reading it again and read it properly this time. I am not promoting them, I'm saying that if I choose to do them, that it's none of your business if I do. Well Bill Hicks is saying it technically.
If it said 'Hey, do drugs, drink alcohol, watch porn, they're all great', then you'd have a point. But it doesn't and you don't.
but your signature violates the forum guidelines. You promote illegal things like drugs and pornography! Even if you do this thing privately, it is still illegal things here! MAking it as your signature line is already making harm to others, so.............
I think there are a lot of QL's that think they are the signature police!
LOL
As it says in that very signature, what business is it of yours?
Answer: None.
if not, remove it in your signature line. Are you into pornography?, If not, remove it in your signature line. Etc etc etc!
is true or not, it will remain a HEARSAY.
Now, for the question :.......it's going to last?", another "nice" question. My my my, redtreble, are we on line?
I'm not sure what f*****ng is. Sorry. Fondling?
As for drinking alcohol, how exactly is it hurting anybody else? I went out last night to the W, had a few beers, took a taxi home (tipping the driver well) and went to sleep.
There's countless different stories about why the ban has been introduced and nobody knows the real reason. But it seems that there is clearly some politics between UDC and QDC at play, and innocent restaurant owners are being made to suffer because of it.
How can you even implement a ban without saying how long it's going to last?
The whole affair has made Qatar look a bit of a joke.
take note of the "other human". Who are you f*****ng, yourself? For sure there are other human involved and if you are taking something bad to yourself, there is a great chance that you are HARMING the other human.
can you enlightened us about who do you think made the decision to ban alcohol at "the Pearl" restaurants?
Do you really unaware of the reasons for banning it? What is "spurious" about the ban? I would have ang inkling to accept if you used "perceived unjustifiable" to the resto owners or "disadvantageous" or the like words. But "spurious"? Can you elaborate your "spurious" comment?
flor - I'm really not sure what you mean by anything you've written there. But what I am sure about is that you seem to be pretty clueless about the whole situation.
my my my, choices of words. Your questions were so simple that many times not only here in QL but in newspapers that it was already a known facts.
"In what grounds and authority?", wow, you made me smile with those "nice" questions!
Sorry, I am not familiar with bad words, so I just use "nice".
2 restaurants or 3 restaurants closed?
I no longer go there so I have no idea which has been the third victim of the ban.
UDC must be really facing a troubling future if they have sacked their CEO and gone begging the government for money.
flor1212 - You're completely missing the point. Of course we can all still get alcohol but it's the idea of an ad-hoc ban in the Pearl for spurious reasons which is so ludicrous. Who made the ban? Why? On what grounds and authority? When will it be lifted?
Does the fact that this sort of thing can be done with no accountability not trouble you at all? Oh well, I guess you haven't opened up a restaurant there have you?
can anyone of you quantify "few"?
I am really surprised if some will say they are very much concern about this "The Pearl" or they are just aching to get a booze? If these people will just look around (not even far from the gate of The Pearl"), they can still enjoy their fine dining with "little" sips of wine.
Are we not finished with this discussion?
The stupidity, Stealth, is that you do not seem to know that quite some muslims drink alcohol as well.
The stupidity I refer to Stealth is that 50% of the restaurant trade in The Pearl has been lost due to one isolated incident. You might not think that stupid but I would hazard that anybody with half a brain might think it is.
Stealth,,, few westerner ??? With the closing of 3 restaurants and the cancellation of other project/restaurant.I think we are a little more then a few.
Let me remind you that a lot of us have bough a property and have trusted the project and this country on a lies.
While the ban of alcohol did effect businesses at the pearl leading to the closure of two "once popular " resturants, I don't think that the ban will be revoked any time soon now with Qatar pension authority being strategic partner at UDC
http://gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=489637&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56
"few westerners"....So other cultures must like a drink too then, or restaurants wouldn't be closing down.
what stupidity are you talking about? That a few westerners are not able to consume alcohol when they eat food.
So an alcohol ban is damaging inward investment into Qatar? Crying shame. Perhaps people will now see the stupidity of this ban in the first place. It has severely damaged Qatar's Reputation all around the world as a liberal, forward-thinking gulf state.
From a business perspective that decision makes sense. Hopefully the pearl will not become another 'dead duck'.
That's OK so far u know what are the risks. But don't come crying later if u still invest.
?
always post your source or a link to it.
http://www.7days.me/2012/02/qatar-alcohol-ban-unsettles-hotelier/
Regards!!
who cares............