Residents of Bo-Kaap, one of Cape Town’s most historically rich neighbourhoods, are expressing concerns about Dorp Hotel’s request for a liquor licence, worried that it may jeopardise the neighbourhood’s cultural heritage and unique identity.
Alcohol a threat to Bo-Kaap’s cultural values
Osman Shaboodien, Chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Ratepayers Association, emphasised that granting the hotel a liquor licence would be at odds with Bo-Kaap’s cultural values and historic landscape, as reported by capetownetc. ‘This does not align with the traditions and cultural heritage that define Bo-Kaap,’ he stated.
Shaboodien stated that the community is not interested in the hotel owners’ personal drinking habits. They are, however, concerned about the broader impact of alcohol sales in Bo-Kaap. ‘We are not opposed to personal choices, but the sale of alcohol in Bo-Kaap would affect the entire community,’ he said.
The neighbourhood and its distinct houses
Bo-Kaap is a neighbourhood at the foot of Signal Hill on the fringe of Cape Town‘s city centre. The neigbourhood’s origins date back to the 1760s when slaves, known as Cape Malays, stayed in rental houses there. These individuals came from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the rest of Africa to work in the Cape.
The houses in Bo-Kaap are a mix of Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture. They are positioned in distinctive multi-coloured rows on steeply cobbled roads. Bo-Kaap is home to predominantly Muslimfamilies who have been living there for generations. Today, the Bo-Kaap community is a significant part of the city’s cultural heritage.
Today the neighbourhood attracts thousands of visitors – both locals and international tourists.
Hotel management steaming ahead with liquor licence
The Dorp Hotel had initially sought to meet privately with a select group of community representatives, excluding the wider community from the conversation. However, close to the scheduled date of the meeting, the hotel informed the Bo-Kaap Ratepayers Association that their team was unavailable.
Although they assured the community that they would hold off on the liquor licence application until a discussion had taken place, it came to light that the hotel had moved forward with its liquor licence application. Bo-Kaap residents have sent a memorandum to the hotel requesting a meeting for further discussion.
“We’ve made it clear that we cannot support the sale of alcohol here.”
Osman Shaboodien, Chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Ratepayers Association
Shaboodien added that allowing the sale of alcohol in Bo-Kaap will set a precedent for other establishments to follow suit. That could disrupt the integrity of the community.
David Dix, the newly appointed general manager of the hotel, acknowledged the prior communication. He assured residents that he would inform the hotel’s management about the need for a timely response.
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