The Gazetteers Department

Hotelling can be very well regarded as a flourishing business in recent times. Number of factors, such as, growth of economic activity, multiplicity of business transactions, increase in the facilities of transport and communications, change in the habits and tastes of the people, business tactics, present mode of reception, etc., have increased the scope of hotel keeping. This is noticed by the rapidly increasing number of establishments and persons engaged in them over the past few years.

As tea has become an essential and a common beverage, except for a few small villages, tea shops or similar establishments are seen in almost all parts of the district. Their general get-up firstly depends much on their daily turnover and secondly on clientele, local or otherwise. There are a number of tea-shops spread all over the district. They fall into numerous categories. Some establishment serve only hot drinks, such as, tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., whereas some others sell hot drinks as well as cold beverages. It is customary with many tea-shops to keep some light snacks along with tea. In a few cases they serve meals too.

Tea shops in rural areas are typical in their characteristics. They are generally small and ill-equipped and do not present a very happy picture. Tea-shops in towns are generally better furnished and well equipped. They offer a variety of dishes. In such restaurants different persons are employed for different jobs and are kept neat and decent. At times they are attractively decorated. Such restaurants have a separate kitchen mostly on the back-side of the premises. They prepare special as well as favourite dishes. In such restaurants, customers can relax comfortably as they are provided with radio sets, cushioned furniture, separate small rooms and excellent service. In towns like Yeotmal, Wani, Darwha and Pusad mostly medium sized hotels are found. North Indian hotels have more impact on the hotels established in the district. The fresh as well as tempting preparations, such as, bhajia, shev, chakli, jilebi and alubonda are made just on the other side of the entrance of the shop which can clearly be seen from outside.

However, they do have separate kitchens for their other preparations. But it has become customary with many establishments to make such preparations outside to attract pedestrians. The rates charged by these shops are reasonable. Such establishments are found almost in every corner of the important streets, in the bazar area, near office buildings, railway stations and bus stands.

Rice, wheat gram-Hour (besan), semolina (rava), dalda-ghee, sweet-oil, condiments and spices, vegetables, tomato, onions, potatoes, chillis, tea powder, sugar, milk and a number of other articles constitute the material required. A small tea shop in thermal area consumes material amounting to Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 per month, whereas expenditure of a big establishment on the same items for a similar period comes up to as many as 10 times as that of the smallest establishment.

As pointed out earlier two to three benches constitute the furniture of a teashop in rural areas whereas in urban areas, the furniture of a tea shop comprises a few chairs and tables. In a few shops, well-settled in business, decorating mirrors are hung on walls and in a few establishments a radio set is installed near the counter. However, the furniture used in most cases is of a very simple type. Utensils of German silver and aluminium are in common use in small tea-shops. In small tea-shops the amount locked up in tools and equipment varies from Rs. 300 to Rs. 700 while in big shops it varies from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 8,000. The investment in tea-shops is of two kinds, (a) fixed capital and (b) working capital.

Fixed investment represents expenditure incurred for purchasing tools and other equipment. The amount invested in construction can also be regarded as fixed investment. The amount of fixed capital generally depends upon the size of the shops and the quality as well as quantity of the equipment. The location, of the establishment is also a determining factor as far as the amount of fixed capital is concerned. Small establishments possess equipment just necessary for running it. Hence, their expenditure incurred on equipment is Limited.

In a medium sized establishment one or sometimes two cooks are employed in addition to attendants and waiters. Besides, service boys are also employed to clean tables and wash utensils, crockery, floors, etc. The number of employees belonging to each category varies with the size of the establishment.

Amongst all the jobs, the cook's job is supposed to be a skilled one and he is generally pad more. On an average a cook in medium sized hotel is paid from Rs. 70 to Rs. 90 per month. Other workers get about Rs. 20 to Rs. 35. Besides emoluments, the workers are given snacks and tea twice a day. In some hotels meals are also provided to workers twice a day. The condition of the employees in such establishments is not satisfactory. Moreover, there is no guarantee of a continuous employment. Their services in many cases are neither governed by any rules and regulations nor have they any safety of the job.

A hotel situated near a bus stand or near a cinema house can afford to serve various types of dishes, only because it gets sufficient demand from gathering people, whereas establishments located in a village or by the road-side get a smaller business. However, assured demand in the urban areas generally determines the turnover of a shop.

At the time of festivals, local fairs and at harvest time business becomes brisk. During rainy season, generally business becomes dull, and hence yields lower returns. The gross income of a small hotel ranges from Rs. 480 to Rs. 650, while that of a big establishment varies from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 per month. The profit margin usually works out to 40 to 55 per cent. The rent of the premises in the urban establishments is usually high as compared to that in rural ones. Almost all the restaurants are owned by individual proprietors which they follow as their principal occupation. There is still vast scope for improvement in regard to this occupation in respect of investment, services, labour condition, etc.

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