Only a limited number of foreigners will be able to buy alcohol
With the famous strictness of morals and religious rules, Saudi Arabia will be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages. True, the store will only be open to non-Muslim diplomats, but some fear that this is the first step towards wider availability of alcohol in the “teetotaler kingdom.”
The news that Saudi Arabia will allow the opening of the country's first liquor store has both the Wahhabi kingdom's citizens and foreigners wondering one question: Is this a minor policy change or a major shock?
As The The The Guardian, sources familiar with preparations for the store's opening, revealed details of the plan on Wednesday as a document was circulated indicating how carefully the teetotal Gulf kingdom's leaders will manage its operations.
Located in the diplomatic quarter of the Saudi capital, the store will only be accessible to non-Muslim diplomats, meaning nothing will change for the vast majority of Saudi Arabia's 32 million residents.
In addition, quotas for the purchase of booze will be introduced. Access to the store will be limited to those who register through a special application. And shoppers will be asked to keep their phones in a «special mobile device bag» while they select beer, wine and spirits.
However, some Riyadh residents told AFP they were considering the event as a first step toward wider availability of alcohol, which would be a sharp departure from the nationwide Prohibition that had been in effect since 1952.
“This country continues to surprise us,” said a Lebanese businessman dining Wednesday night at LPM, a French restaurant in Riyadh known for its extensive selection of non-alcoholic wines and cocktails mixed at the 18-meter (60-foot) marble-topped bar. – This is a country that is developing, that is growing and that attracts a lot of talent and a lot of investment. So yes, of course, there will be a lot more.”
However, like other LPM visitors, the businessman refused to give his name, emphasizing the sensitivity of anything related to alcohol, which is prohibited in Islam, in the country , where the Muslim holy places of Mecca and Medina are located.
At another table, ordering hazelnut tiramisu, two Saudi men in their 30s said they were worried about what selling alcohol would mean for the kingdom's identity.
“It's not about who That’s who we are,” one of the men said. – It's not that I have any condemnation towards people who drink. No, absolutely not. But having something that exists affects the culture and the community.
He added: «Let's say if I have a younger brother or sister, if alcohol is common, there is a chance that he will become an alcoholic.»
His friend chimed in, saying he would prefer that people continue go abroad to drink, as many do nowadays.
“It’s just scary that they allow these things to be imported [into the country]. Any person who wants to try alcohol is literally an hour away by plane, he said. – Everyone travels here. It's easily accessible. But what I want to say is that in this jurisdiction I am not happy that this is allowed.
As part of its reform program, Vision 2030 Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to transform the world's largest crude oil exporter into a business, sports and tourism hub that can thrive in a possible post-oil era.
This requires attracting more foreigners, and allowing alcohol consumption «gradually». could play a role in this, says Christine Diwan of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
“This is another step toward normalizing government sanctions on alcohol in certain settings,”, she comments.
The Government Center for International Communications said on Wednesday that the goal of the new policy is to “counter the illicit trade of alcoholic beverages and products received by diplomatic missions.”
It was an apparent reference to a thriving local hidden market, where bottles of whiskey often sell for hundreds of dollars, The Guardian said.
Pressing the news in this way “is likely intended to send a subtle message that change may be on the way, but that the process will be gradual and tightly controlled,” says Christian Ulrichsen, a Middle East fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
For their part, restaurant industry insiders are unsure whether this will impact business in the near term.
“For the food and beverage industry, this will not have a direct impact,”, said one manager, although he added, that if it changes the outside world's perception of Saudi Arabia, «it could bring attention to the kingdom,» which means more customers.
If access to alcohol in Saudi Arabia ends up expanding beyond what has been described sources on Wednesday, the biggest losers will be sellers of mocktails and other increasingly fashionable soft drinks.
“To me, this is not good. I'm going to lose my business,” Evans Kahindi, brand manager for Blended by Lyre's soft drink company, said with a laugh. – There have always been rumors that real alcohol is sold here… But, to be honest, this is a matter for the government, we don’t know yet, and I can’t speculate about anything.”