DUBAI // The Hard Rock Cafe will re-open in Dubai, its managers said today, despite the popular venue having been forced to close.
The owners of the Hard Rock Cafe Middle East said today that the restaurant was "forced to close...due to circumstances beyond our control". The statement went on to say that "as a result of the deteriorating site conditions, following the unexpected demolition of the adjoining buildings, the cafe can no longer adequately serve our loyal customer base".
Jihad Allaban, the company's director of operations, remained optimistic about the future of the restaurant on Sheikh Zayed Road.
"The Hard Rock Cafe will re-open in Dubai," he said. "We are very interested in Dubai, and it is an important market for us. It is an international city, it is well exposed, it is a hot-spot in the region, and we definitely want to remain here."
While he couldn't talk about the new Hard Rock Cafe, he did confirm that they were in serious negotiations regarding the new restaurant and its new location, which will open "as soon as possible."
The future of the restaurant has been up in the air for almost a year, following the sale of the land the Hard Rock and its neighboring hotel were on. Following protests and petitions against its closure, Hard Rock managed to stay open, but without alcohol.
Sacha Narinx, a regular at the restaurant since he moved over from South Africa three years ago, expressed sadness and disappointment at the closure of such an historic place. "It really is a sad day," he said. "Although it was inevitable; when they shut down the hotel and started demolishing it, there was mess everywhere.
"I have so many good memories in that place; for the last three years i've celebrated my birthday there," he said. Prior to it losing its alcohol license, the place used to be packed out. "People used to have to wait for hours for a free table," he said.
The Hard Rock, with its huge guitar at the entrance which can be spotted for miles, has been located on Sheikh Zayed Road for the last 11 years. Although its new location is still undecided, Mr Narinx did voice his concerns over its potential new home.
"My biggest worry is what if they move it to the other side of town, then I'll have to move too!"
nsamaha@thenational.ae
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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