No alcohol to be served from Friday evening

With Friday being a holiday, restaurants, bars and clubs around the UAE will not play music or serve alcohol for 24 hours.

ABU DHABI // With Friday being a holiday for Israa and Miraj, restaurants, bars and clubs around the UAE will not play music or serve alcohol for 24 hours.

The dry night will begin on Friday before sunset at around 7pm until Saturday after 7pm.

Restaurants are ordered to stop serving alcohol in observance of the religious holiday by the Tourism Authority.

The management of Stars and Bars, Abu Dhabi said it will cease serving alcoholic beverages from 5.30pm Friday until sunset the next day.

According to several restaurants and hotels contacted by The National, it is the responsibility of businesses to recognise when dry nights occur and take the necessary action.

Those found breaking the observance will be fined up to Dh50,000 and will receive a black point, which can amount to a cease and desist order, according to several restaurant and hotel management staff contacted by The National.

The authority responsible for maintaining and issuing the rules for the observance is the Tourism Authority.

Friday brunch, a popular weekly event in the UAE, will not be affected by the dry night according to the restaurant management of Barasti Bar in Le Meridien Mina Sayaghi, Dubai.

The businesses contacted include Stars and Bars, Barasti, Westin Dubai, Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi and Le Meridien.