Hardship: Relaxation Joints Decry Low Patronage

Relaxation Joints including drinking arenas in different parts of Enugu State have decried low patronage.

Our investigations revealed that the low patronage was occasioned by the harsh economic realities that led to increment in the prices of items especially drinks.

A visit to some of the relaxation Joints in the evening of yesterday confirmed the low patronage as most of the seats were empty.

It was also observed that the few customers sighted at the drinking joints were relaxing with only one bottle as against many bottles they were taking before.

Our correspondent who went round Enugu observed that the lowest price of beer in drinking joints is N700 while the least price of pepper soup is N900.

Some residents who spoke to our correspondent said they no longer go to beer parlours to drink because of the exorbitant price of beer.

Mr Ndukwe Anima, who resides at Uwani Layout, said he can no longer afford a bottle of beer daily because of the hardship in the country.

“ How can I use N700 to drink a bottle of beer when I have a family to feed and I’m finding it difficult to even feed them, so I decided to stop visiting beer parlours for now,” he stated.

Another resident of Enugu who owns a drinking joint in Uwani axis of Enugu, Mr Obinna Nnamani said he was finding it difficult to feed his family because of low patronage and appealed to his customers to return to his shop.