Ready to welcome 2021?

Blurb: While bidding bye to 2020 wouldn’t be the same as it was while ringing it in, the New Year’s party scene in the tricity is slowly warming up

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Pandemic or no pandemic, those who want to party are going to party in full swing… seems to be the sentiment in City Beautiful. Though the clarity on whether or not parties would be allowed on New Year’s Eve came rather late, and with loads of riders, the party scene is looking up, bit by bit!

Jassie Gill, Babbal Rai, Prabh Gill, Afsana Khan, Gurnazar and Jeewan Khanna are set to rock at the New Year parties, while most lounges, restaurants and hotels have put plans in place. The UT administration has allowed restaurants, hotels and night club owners to host parties with 50 per cent of their seating capacity and keep the gathering limited to a maximum of 200 people.

Fun time

“We would be ringing in New Year in style,” says Shubham Sharma, manager at ByJu’s, relieved by the 1 am cut-off time allowed by the authorities.

Playground-26 is hosting a UK Punjabi night. “As soon as the decision came, people started enquiring. Looks like people have had enough of 2020 and want to let their hair down. We will provide them safe space, ensure social distancing and adhere to the norms specified by the administration,” says Ayush Singla, partner, Playground.

While most five-star hotels are going with the regular stuff, parties will be spaced out in their restaurants, ballrooms and hotels. Some parties will be held during the day, with evenings reserved for group bookings. However, Sector 17 piazza would see no carnival this year. “The decision to cap gatherings at 200 or 50 per cent does not make things viable for many of us, considering this has been a tough year for the industry. But we are doing all that we can to make it a memorable night for our patrons, hoping the bookings will pick up as time draws near,” says the manager of a popular city lounge.

There’s hope

“People want to get out of their homes; this has been rather depressing year. And they are looking for a change, but the regulations demand things be rather safe,” says Vipul Dua, owner Peddlers-35. Like everything else, restaurant owners, too, wish for normalcy to return. “While there are loads of enquiries, we are going to keep the entries restricted,” says Prateek Lohchab, managing partner, 26 Boulevard.

“As soon as the decision came, there has been spike in sales of party passes,” says Sunil Rawal, co-founder Shoutlo, a Chandigarh-based startup.

Not all, however, want to venture out. Fashion stylist Barkha Duggal Verma is hosting a party at home. “We were out for Christmas; things do get out of hand, for people are like in a rebellious mood. Ringing in 2021 at home seems like the safe bet,” she says. – TNS