High-end Noida malls to get wine & beer-only vends

The Uttar Pradesh government has amended its excise policy to allow retail shops selling only wine and beer in shopping malls that house operational multiplexes. The move is reportedly aimed at increasing accessibility for small business owners and promoting regulated, low-alcoholic beverage sales in urban areas.

The new licence category, FL-4D, reportedly enables individuals to open wine and beer outlets in malls at a significantly lower cost than the premium FL-4C licence, which is required for full liquor vends. The FL-4D licence comes with an annual fee of ₹6 lakh, compared to ₹25 lakh for FL-4C.

The district excise officials have confirmed that the first application for an FL-4D licence has been received from RCube Monad Mall in Noida’s Sector 43. The licence permits such vends to operate in malls with multiplexes, provided the retail space is at least 500 square feet. However, alcohol sale or consumption inside cinema halls will remain strictly prohibited.

Excise authorities have indicated that FL-4D licence holders will not be bound by minimum revenue guarantees for the current financial year, making the model more attractive for first-time entrants into the sector. Officials further clarified that the presence of a premium liquor vend (FL-4C) in a mall does not restrict the opening of a low-alcohol outlet under FL-4D, and both may coexist.

The policy, being implemented as a pilot project, is currently limited to four districts—Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Agra, and Lucknow. Media reports suggest that depending on its success, the initiative may be extended to other parts of the state.

In a related development, a new FL-7(1) licence for restaurants has also been introduced, allowing them to serve beer and wine for a fee of ₹4 lakh per year. One such application has reportedly been received from a restaurant in Sector 43, Noida.