Tipplers were left "low and dry" on the first day of partial prohibition in the state on Friday.

Apart from the liquor shops, all bars were also closed owing to requirement of fresh licence. The annual liquor licence of all bars in the state expires on March 31 and a fresh licence is required to operate the bars from April 1. Sources in the hospitality industry in the city claimed that normally it takes a day or two for the bar licences to be issued by the excise department. The licence fee for each bar in Patna is Rs 16 lakh for a year.

"It happens every year. We apply for fresh licence for the new financial year on April 1 and it is normally issued by the same evening or on the next day by the excise department," said Sumit Kheria, owner of Pind Balluchi restaurant and bar.

Assistant excise commissioner of Patna district Krishna Kumar too informed that licences for most shops would be issued by Saturday afternoon. "According to the process, the applications for the licences are first sent to the district magistrate (DM) and upon his approval, it is finally granted to us. We did not receive the applications from the DM's office by this evening but we are expecting it any moment, following which we would issue the licence in no time," said Krishna.

The excise department had issued licences for 54 shops for the year 2015-16, whereas it was 52 in the year 2014-15. The excise and prohibition department had increased the bar licence fee from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 16 lakh with effect from April 1, 2013.

The closure of bars on Friday disappointed many tipplers, who were already distressed with closure of all private liquor shops on Thursday. "I had planned to have a few drinks with my friends at my favourite bar on Fraser Road but the plan failed as all bars were closed. We were highly disappointed as we were planning to celebrate a friend's birthday," said an employee of a private firm on Exhibition Road.

A few "smart" tipplers survived the day with the liquor they had stocked up over the past couple of days, when private liquor shops were clearing off their leftover stock in a mad rush.

"I had bought three bottles of 100 Pipers whiskey on Thursday in apprehension of any trouble in sale of liquor in the city after the implementation of partial prohibition. I used one of the bottles today (Friday) as all liquor shops and bars were closed," said a city-based lawyer.