Nightclub closed for flouting rules

Manama : The authorities have closed down an oriental nightclub in a hotel here over violations termed “harmful” to national tourism.

The action was taken after Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayid bin Rashid Al Zayani instructed to revoke the tourism license of the facility in the four-star hotel as “the hotel violated the tourism norms and legislations in a way that’s harmful to national tourism”.   

Published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, the resolution included that the outlet was closed as per the recommendations of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority CEO Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa.

The minister announced a similar decision to take strict procedures against 14 violating tourism outlets last December.

The outlets included first class restaurants, bars, lounges and night clubs in a number of four and five star hotels in Juffair, Seef, Manama and other areas.

According to Decree Law 15 of 1986, violating establishments would be subjected to imprisonment not exceeding three months and fines not exceeding BD500 or one of these two punishments.

DT News reported last month that the Council of Representatives recently passed a bill to increase the punishments to imprisonment not exceeding six months, and fines not less than BD10, 000 and not exceeding BD50, 000, in a bid to curb rule violations at tourism outlets.