Lucknow: Premium liquor stores located inside malls across Uttar Pradesh can now stay open an hour longer—until 11 PM instead of the earlier 10 PM.
The state excise department has started granting permissions for this extended timing. The change was made in the 2025-26 excise policy after store owners requested that their closing time be aligned with mall timings.
Currently, Lucknow has about two dozen such premium retail liquor stores, and nine of them are expected to benefit from this move.
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District Excise Officer Kanunendra Singh clarified that only stores inside gated and secured malls or multiplexes will get this relaxation. Shops located in regular markets or within apartment complexes will still need to close by 10 PM.
Officials said they approved the proposal because malls already have adequate security, surveillance cameras, and controlled entry and exit points—making extended hours less of a burden on law enforcement.
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