Lobby View

The Vintage Advantage

P S Sundar

Every time I walked down the DamStraat in Amsterdam, in the busy stretch between the Central Station and the Dam Square, I wondered how a Gandhi restaurant could function there. Yes, there is a restaurant with Mahatma Gandhi's image printed on the name board. The Indian who runs it used to stand in the street and accost Indian passers-by in Hindi, highlighting the menu. I had heard that Dutch and tourists of other nationalities identified the restaurant as an Indian by looking at Gandhi's picture. The restaurant hardly promotes Gandhian thoughts, but conducts business using Gandhiji as an attraction. But, this is precisely what we don't allow to happen in India.

Still, Gandhiji's image here is a 'vintage' image which the restaurant uses to its advantage. I have seen similar traditional images, statues or colours in hotels in various countries. In some restaurants professing national characteristics, I have seen waiters wearing uniforms representing the country or the community concerned. Thus, in the Scottish restaurant in London, waiters wear the beefeaters' uniform. In the Greek restaurant in Paris, the waiters wear Grecian soldiers' attire. In the Japanese restaurant in Beijing, the waitresses wear kimonos.

In such cases, the uniform helps in identifying the place of origin of the food being served. Since vintage dresses attract visitors, they are nothing but power dressing for the staff and business dressing for the restaurant concerned. Some vintage materials turn out to be an added amenity. Thus, at Taj Garden Retreat in Coonoor, during summers, a 1948 model Morris car stood as a great attraction in the spacious lawns. "While many guests take a fancy of having themselves photographed with it, children enjoy sitting inside the car. We have a similar car at Taj Savoy in Ooty as well," Sanjeev Sharma, general manager of the Taj Hotel in the Nilgiris, told me. Visitors from India and abroad share their experiences with Morris and similar cars over the years, over lunch or dinner at these hotels. And, visitors have made it a point to see the car, come what may!

In Holiday Inn Gem Park Ooty, a 1934 model French Citroen car stands at the entrance. It is one of the first front wheel drive cars. "This is an attraction for the visitors. Even those unfamiliar with the language have initiated conversations looking at the car, for, many are curious to know when we got it, whether it still runs, what mileage we get etc," said Amith Khanna, the general manager of the hotel. There have also been occasions when some honeymooners wanted to take off for a drive in the car.

Likewise, a well maintained antique brass table top, intricately carved, is kept in the second lobby of Taj Garden Retreat in Coonoor. At the entrance to Hampton Bar is the subject of many a conversation among foreigners. In the Chinese restaurant, 'Jade Garden' at Holiday Inn Gem Park Ooty, the Green Laughing Buddha, statues of the Chinese Gods of Health, Wealth and Wisdom, huge Chinese jars, and pictures depicting Chinese Vaastu - all are vintage and yield the same advantage. An ethnic restaurant in the Coonoor town centre has photos of the town taken several decades ago, juxtaposed with photos of the same places taken, recently creating a lot of interest and related conversation amongst guests.

Thus, the 'vintage advantage' is a promotional tool that creates an interest amongst the guests - present and prospective - breaking through language, community and culture barriers. This blast from the past does a world of good for future business!