HC allows Glenary’s to resume liquor sales

Darjeeling: Tourists visiting Darjeeling during the Christmas and New Year season have reason to cheer as the Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court has allowed Glenary’s, the iconic heritage eatery synonymous with Christmas celebrations in the hills, to resume liquor sales till January 12, 2026. In another relief for visitors, the indefinite ban imposed by some hill taxi unions on ferrying tourists to Tiger Hill has also been lifted from Christmas onwards.

The Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court at Jalpaiguri on Wednesday granted interim relief to petitioner Ajoy Lucas Edwards by staying the suspension of Glenary’s bar licence till January 12, citing the ongoing tourist rush and the possibility of severe financial loss. Justice Amrita Sinha passed the interim order.

Explaining the sequence of legal developments, defence lawyer Samim Ahmed said, “The learned Single Judge in the first order has stated that the irregularities based on which the authorities have suspended the bar licence of Glenary’s for 90 days are curable and liberty was granted to us to cure the same. Liberty was also granted to the authorities to inspect the premises to see if everything is in order or not and to file an affidavit to this effect. However, the state filed an appeal in the Division Bench against this. The appeal was dismissed by the Division Bench, earlier on Wednesday. The Single Bench took up the matter and ordered that the suspension be kept in abeyance till January 12, 2026.”

The court further noted that Darjeeling is witnessing a heavy influx of tourists and that Glenary’s, which has been operational for nearly 150 years, is a major attraction for visitors. “It seems that it is only the visitors and tourists who will miss the liquor that may be served in the restaurant. There is no reason as to why the fun and merry making festival spirit be dampened by non serving of liquor in the restaurant premises. The sale of liquor will also amount to generation of revenue to the State,” Justice Sinha observed in the order. The petitioner clarified before the court that permission was being sought only for the sale of liquor and not for operating the live band.

Accordingly, the court stayed the operation of the suspension order dated December 4, 2025, till January 12, 2026, and directed the authorities to de-seal the liquor storage by 5 pm on December 24. The matter is scheduled to be taken up again on January 5, 2026, after the reopening of the Circuit Bench.