Crowded – after an alcohol stop at the pub

It is lively in Sveavägen in Stockholm. The popular drinking troughs have been forced for the first time to stop serving alcohol to the thirsty already at 10 p.m., so guests must also leave the premises and the taverns close before 10:30 p.m.

– People don’t stop partying just because the restaurant closes, states restaurant guest Filip Monteza in the hustle and bustle outside.

In the street, cigarettes are shared at the same time as after-parties are managed.

– Why close the places where you still have control and maintain restrictions on congestion? If you want people to stay home, you probably have to shut down completely, Monteza continues.

Serves popular beer

At least three Stockholm restaurants plan to seize the opportunity to close for the first time at 10.30pm to reopen shortly thereafter, either completely without serving alcohol or with popular beer as an alternative.

– We have 20 employees who will be homeless if we don’t do this. If the government had put together a support package in which they helped restaurants with flat fees and layoffs of all staff, we would have closed the restaurant tomorrow, Alexander Dhazi, human resources manager at Monky Bar, tells Aftonbladet.

During the day, the bar has organized a daytime party in an attempt to mitigate the loss of income.

– The entire industry is condemned to death without financial support. We have to do what we can to survive, says events manager Toby Johanson.

– This ban creates more problems, now everyone must go home at the same time. From an infection standpoint, it’s probably worse at after parties, adds bartender Lineh Kadkhodaei.

Quiet in the city

During the night, 16 inspectors from the Stockholm City Permits Unit went from restaurant to restaurant to report and make sure the alcohol ban is being followed.

– It has been very quiet and empty in most places. Of course, many restaurateurs are very resigned. But they are familiar with the regulations, says Carina Cutlip, manager of the permitting unit.

The last request must be made no later than 21:45 to be able to vacate the premises on time until 22:30. If you don’t follow the rules, restorers risk ditching the service permit, Cutlip explains.

– We have come to the conclusion that it is reasonable to think that you should keep it closed for 30 minutes, so you should be able to evacuate and make sure that you can change businesses and remove the alcohol.

Completely legal

She disagrees with the description that restaurants use a loophole in regulations to stay open without serving alcohol.

– It is a fully legal possibility, and it is already stated in the regulation itself that there is the possibility of reopening, so I do not think it is a loophole. It was just a matter of how long you’d keep it closed after evacuation, Cutlip says.

Despite the alcohol ban being followed to the letter after 10pm, it seems worse with the congestion in Sveavägen.

“Both we and the police have made comments that will be followed,” Cutlip says.

A couple of hours after the lawsuit, Carina Skagerlind from the Stockholm Police claims that most things seem to have gone well.

– The taverns seem to have closed, we are calm on that front.

Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren (S) says in a written comment to TT that restaurants cannot serve alcohol after 10pm because it constitutes a risky environment for the spread, but regardless of the time of day, the recommendations apply of the Public Health Agency for restaurants, bars and similar activities.

“We cannot write laws on everything, we cannot regulate our own responsibility. This is not the time to hang out with other people, go to parties, throw parties, hang out in restaurants and bars with friends and large groups, ”says Lena Hallengren.

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