Party animals are raising the bar - holding your drink isn't your passport to this club
The wedding season is in full swing with the countdown on for Christmas and New Year celebrations - it's that time of the year when almost every bar serves up tempting discounts and promotions and alcohol sales hit a high.
The phenomenon is universal - note the timing of the legislation extending bar hours in the UK which, believe it or not, is an attempt to curb binge drinking rather than encourage alcohol consumption.
"Relaxing the closing time will definitely make people go slow with their drinks," agrees socialite Monica Vazirali, but many others don't see it making much of a difference.
"Binge drinking is not something new. People have always been drinking to get drunk, and now they will just get more time to do it," notes Preetam Bora, a media executive.
In Mumbai, a sizeable section of working women are also frequently going on binge drinking sessions.
Disposable incomes and independent living are contributing factors to the trend. "Drinking has become a fad and the rise in women binge drinkers has more to do with the tendency to show off and prove a point to their friends, and even men," says psychologist, Seema
Hingorrany.
"In most other instances, it can be traced to escapism - shaking off a bad day at office or domestic problems."
The city has its fair share of bars known for cheap drinks which attract young, aggressive binge drinkers, who usually move around in stag and hen groups.
They see these watering holes as a good place to start but not as destination pubs.
Upmarket bars diligently screen customers on their door to keep out troublemakers and many of them confirm that most late entrants are usually already high.
Moreover, it is no longer just a Saturday night phenomenon. Viraj Gupta, a 24-year-old BPO executive, says he frequents a circuit of bars with his friends, usually on weekdays, following a known trail of discounts.
"Some places offer great packages with unlimited drinks on certain days and it makes more sense to go there than spend twice as much at some other joint on weekends," he explains.
Adds the manager of a popular pub in Bandra who did not want to be named, "We often end the night with a free round of shooters and it is very popular with the ladies."
Also, because women are more likely to try different drinks, they get a bit more drunk owing to this mixing. And you always thought a no-holds-barred night out at the bar was just a man thing?
s_saumit@dnaindia.net
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