Hello Homophobia: Restaurants Ban Gay Couples on New Year’s Eve

Some places are not admitting stags and same-sex couples to prevent instances of “hooliganism”.

The capital city and the country’s least homophobic city have made sure to add the cherry to the crap-cake that 2016 has been.

Delhi and Mumbai’s restaurants and bars have taken to actively turning away same-sex couples, as reported by DNA.

A Mumbai-based adman discovered this as he tried to make reservations for his partner and himself. He tried making a booking at Shiro, a Mumbai restobar, where he was categorically told that the place was only accepting bookings from heterosexual couples.

I can understand that they want couples, but refusal for same-sex couples is discriminatory. We live barely two blocks away and this was ideally suited but we have to now look elsewhere.

DNA called up Shiro, Bar Stock Exchange in Mumbai to ask about their policy on the matter and was told the same; that they would not take a reservation for only “husband- and wife-type couples” and not same-sex couples.

Staff at the Four Seasons hotel were also contacted, but maintained that they do not discriminate against couples based on their sexual orientation.

In Delhi, popular haunts like Summer House Kitty Su, Soi7, and Raasta were contacted, for they have already set up special New Years packages. All of them are open and welcoming to single women but some seem to be averse to men, even if they come in as a couple.

“We only allow couples; and single men are allowed only when their profiles are thoroughly checked,” says Vikas, a staffer at Summer House Cafe. Raasta, in Hauz Khas village, also has restrictions on men’s entry. “We do not allow in men in pairs or singly. They can only come in unless they come in with a couple or are in a group,” says Mohan, staffer at Raasta.

Gurgaon’s Soi7 had the most categorial response, as they said they reserve the entry of stags to prevent instances of hooliganism. "We have to ensure that local hooligans do not walk in the establishment and create a scene after drinking." Questioned about the gay couple policy, they added that they only admit heterosexual couples.

Source: DNA