The much touted opening of the “Playboy Club”, the first nightclub in India of the iconic magazine, at Goa’s Candolim Beach received a jolt on Saturday with chief minister Manohar Parrikar saying that he would permit the club to open only if everything was in place.
“We will not allow the club to open if anything is wrong,” said Mr Parrikar. The CM’s caution about letting the nightclub operate was not so much about Playboys’ adult entertainment reputation as for the fact that one of the people in talks with the owners about the franchise is former Calangute MLA, Congress’ Mr Agnelo Fernandes.
Barring any hiccoughs, which seems all too likely now, Playboy Beach Club will open in December where Club Fresh used to operate till 2011.
“Nothing has been finalised,” said Mr Fernandes, adding that Playboy Lifestyles was also negotiating with two-three other parties.
According to media reports, the first Playboy Club in India, which will also be the first beach location for Playboy globally, will be driven by music, gourmet food and beverages, cafes, retail fashion stores and lifestyle products, global disc jockeys, celebrity chefs, special events. Nudity, however, will be a big “no-no”. Tthis will be the first of many Playboy Clubs in the country, said sources.
Candolim MLA Michael Lobo said that if there were any objections from CRZ, the excise department or the Goa State Pollution Control Board, he would not let the club operate. “I will not allow our beach to be spoilt,” he said.