A party in full swing at a city nightclub

Forget the pocket pinch, it’s time to disco.

Shisha at 22 Camac Street is moving up a floor and spreading 7,000 sq ft across the mall terrace to become “the biggest nightclub in town”, beating the 5,000-sq-ft Tantra. A 34-ft bar will be the main attraction at Shisha Redefined, when it opens in March.

“It’s been five years and the time is right to offer Calcutta something new,” says Nitin Kohli, the director of PDK Shenaz Group, which owns Shisha.

Also braving the economic downturn is Plush at Astor Hotel, a 2,000-sq-ft lounge bar coming up where Cloud Nine used to be. The night haunt, to open “in a fortnight”, can cater to 150 guests. The food focus will be Mediterranean and Italian, with a Dutch chef serving as consultant.

“We were aware of the economic scenario while conceptualising Plush and have tried to keep it affordable,” says Vikram Puri, the director of Astor Hotel.

Next in line for revamp is Starstruck, the sports bar at Forum that will turn into Privy, a 2,000-sq-ft lounge bar with a dance floor, by December.

“The downturn didn’t really affect us. Privy will cater to the upmarket segment; we expect an average spend of Rs 1,000 per person,” says Bunty Sethi of Starstruck.

Shisha, which has seen a “18-20 per cent slump in sales because of the downturn”, will focus on the family to increase the footfall count, says Kohli. “Instead of making Shisha Redefined one large area, we have divided it into zones — a Chinese-look section, a lounge with a dance floor and a glass den for smokers with our signature hookahs.”

Puri, too, is banking on the family formula. “In these times of economic gloom, people need a place to unwind. Even if the finer things are beyond reach, one can at least have a good time with the family,” he says.