Hard Rock Cafe in Dubai runs dry

Malaysia Sun Sunday 13th April, 2008

Dubai's Hard Rock Cafe has run out of beer, and cannot buy any more.

The popular haunt is getting by selling cocktails (many of which are non-alcoholic), spirits, and soft drinks.

The beer taps are now permanently shut off, and the last of the wine has been sold.

The Hard Rock Cafe, a landmark in Dubai since it was completed in December 1997, has fallen victim to the country's liquor laws, and a classic real estate squeeze.

Despite a lease until 2010, the Hard Rock Cafe trades off the liquor license of the adjacent Palm Hotel. The only establishments in the UAE authorised to serve alcoholic drinks are the accommodation hotels. The Hard Rock is unique in that it is not a hotel, but because it has been owned by the same owner as the Palm Hotel, it has had access to the Palm license.

However two weeks ago the Palm Hotel and the land on which the Hard Rock is built was sold to a developer who plans to build two towers on the site.

While Hard Rock has a valid lease, the Palm Hotel it seems has withdrawn the use of its liquor license, leaving the popular restaurant cafe without a right to buy alcohol. The Hard Rock continues to trade but stocks of alcoholic drinks are running low. On Saturday night customers could only have a whiskey, rum, gin, cocktail, or a soda. No beer, no wine.

Dubai locals are up in arms over the situation which threatens to see the Hard Rock have to close. If it does it is almost certain it will reopen in another location. In the meantime customers are taking up petitions and going online to voice their protests.

When the cafe was built it was a lone landmark in the middle of the desert. A little over ten years later it is surrounded by the Dubai Marina, Jumeriah Beach Residence, Dubai Media City, and Jumeirah Lakes developments, encompassing tens of thousands of apartments, villas, and office complexes.

The only relief it appears would be if the government gave the long established enterprise special dispensation, at least until its lease runs out in 2010, which would give the HRC time to relocate.

In the interim however it appears the cafe, its management and staff, and its customers, are between a rock and a hard place.