new delhi you dont have to rush out of your favourite bar or pub as the clock strikes midnight delhi government is likely to reduce the licence fee for restaurants and bars especially for the additional hour in the new excise policy encouraging outlets to open for longer hours the policy is likely to be announced next weekat present the bar licence fee is approximately rs 6 lakh for restaurants and rs 7 lakh for hotels under the current excise rules they are allowed to remain open till 11 pm and 12 midnight respectively an additional hour is also allowed but at a cost bars have to dole out 50 of their licence fee for just that extra one hour this proves uneconomical for many and the easiest way is to stay open till 12 or 1 am illegallydelhi government is considering the lowering of fees to encourage the hotel and food industry this proposal is in keeping with the general trend towards liberalisation and encouraging legal availability of liquor excise commissioner vijay kumar said the proposal will be put before the cabinet for approval next weekaccording to an estimate there are 500600 restaurants violating the timing rules if the proposal is cleared the pleas of the hotel and restaurant owners to encourage night life might take shape if we pay rs 7 lakh for 12 hours between 12 pm to 12 midnight then we should be allowed to pay a proportionate amount for the additional hour right now we are paying rs 35 lakh for just an extra hour most outlets prefer to stay open illegally rather than incur such heavy expenses said s p agarwal chairman of hotel and restaurant association of northern indiaamongst other suggestions made by the association are relaxation of time limit on weekends reduction in the legal age to drink and parity in charges of hotels and restaurants