Even in relatively liberal Dubai, restaurants are NOT licenced - only hotels and private clubs (+ a couple of exceptions like Planet Hollywood and the now defunct Hard Rock Cafe). There is nothing like the open air consumption of alcohol which was permitted for a while on the Pearl.
One outlet spoiled it for everyone by offering both booze and noisy music outdoors with minimal security and checking of IDs. Naturally some folks abused this.
No wonder the privilege was withdrawn.
If you want to bend rules, rule no 1 is do it in private and rule no 2 is 'don't get caught'
There is another theory that the prohibition was brought in simply to devalue shares in The Pearl prior to a Govt buy-out....
Conspiracy theory anyone ???
Even in relatively liberal Dubai, restaurants are NOT licenced - only hotels and private clubs (+ a couple of exceptions like Planet Hollywood and the now defunct Hard Rock Cafe). There is nothing like the open air consumption of alcohol which was permitted for a while on the Pearl.
One outlet spoiled it for everyone by offering both booze and noisy music outdoors with minimal security and checking of IDs. Naturally some folks abused this.
No wonder the privilege was withdrawn.
If you want to bend rules, rule no 1 is do it in private and rule no 2 is 'don't get caught'
There is another theory that the prohibition was brought in simply to devalue shares in The Pearl prior to a Govt buy-out....
Conspiracy theory anyone ???