With rent woes, legal tangles and realty issues, many Puneites may soon not find their preferred hangouts at their usual places
Just a few months after Savera shut shop on FC Road, news is that Vohuman Cafe at the Station Road will also be shifting soon. Earlier, Aromas on FC Road moved to Koregaon Park. So, why the sudden change in address of these favourite eating joints? Well, everywhere it’s the same tenant-landlord saga.
While Vohuman Cafe decided to call it quits mutually with its landlord, Savera has been embroiled in a legal battle for over 15 years. Savera’s owner, restaurateur Chetan Shetty, finally gave in and shut shop in December. “My issue was with the landlord as they wanted me to pay rent per sq ft. This was not possible, as I could not afford an amount of Rs 3.50 lakh every month as compared to Rs50,000 I was paying. I understand there is competition as parties from Mumbai come down and offer better rents. But your rapport and connection with your landlord often help solve issues mutually,” said Shetty, who has now rented a place in Kothrud, with his sight set on another place, on rent, at Sus-Pashan Road.
Shetty believes that beggars cannot be choosers and thus landlords take advantage. “We should have a system which provides better solutions to entrepreneurs and restaurateurs renting places for business purposes,” he said.
Speaking to dna, President of Pune Hoteliers’ Association, Ganesh Shetty said, “Vohuman Cafe has agreed to shift on a mutual level, Savera was fighting a legal battle for over 15 years and Aromas too had some landlord issues. In most of these matters, we can’t help because there are legalities involved. It is between the tenant and the landlord.”
However, he suggests that fixing a rent agreement for a minimum of seven years will work for both parties. “Getting licences and setting-up a business takes time and involves a lot of money. There should be a clause of 5-10 per cent increment after three years, which is feasible. A business takes at least that much time to break even so landlords should consider the same,” he added. Mayur Phalke, a working professional expressed his displeasure at the growing trend of restaurants shutting down or moving shop. “It is sad when your favourite hangout moves or shuts down.
There are memories attached to every place you visit. I don’t understand the legalities, but I feel there should be a platform for both the parties to solve this issue.”
Another restaurateur, on request of anonymity, added, “We will soon lose out on many such cult places only because of the real estate in the city. We need to have a body that will help set rules when it comes to leases and rent agreements for small time restaurants.”
‘Chai’ on NIBM Road faced the same issue a few months ago. Its owner Tejas Digwekar shared, “Any place rented is bound to face these problems at some point of time but still to avoid it for a longer time we need to have longer lease. It’s best to start a venture at a place of ownership. Even after having a locking period of two years the owner wanted us to vacate the place in just one year. Chai was doing very well, so we had even placed an offer of higher rental. But I guess the owner had different plans.”
anjali.shetty@dnaindia.net
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