Lahore is changing. Bridges, roads, buildings, landmarks; they’ve all changed drastically in the past few years. It is the natural progression of any large metropolis after all, and development projects have only done more to evolve the City into what it has become today.
But with the rapid development and changing landscape of Lahore, there come feelings of nostalgia. The closing down of Ferozsons or the degradation of Pak Tea House are examples.
The most recent of these inevitable shut downs is that of Gulberg’s basement cafe, Copper Kettle. Running for the past 25 years, the restaurant was one of the first to pop up when the restaurant revolution of the 80s and 90s hit the nation. Spearheaded by successful entrepreneur Nilofer Saeed, Copper Kettle introduced to Lahore a different kind of eating experience and cafe culture.
Now, it has been closed for more than a month. For once news about something iconic coming to an end is not about a place near the Mall or in Old Lahore. It shows how storied Gulberg itself has become. The cafes and eateries here catered to a different generation than those in older and more aged parts of the City. It will now be for them to reflect on how times have changed, and for the next generation to wait their turn when the cafes of defence or other such areas shut down after decades of successful business when their original frequenters are entering middle age.
With such closures there is also always some sense of guilt. After all, businesses fail because of decreased patronage, and patronage comes from the populace. So people will feel they have some hand in businesses shutting down. This guilt is usually easily shifted away to something as vague as the “failing economy” rather than the more explicable idea of shifting trends, but the feelings remain.
So if there is one positive to take away from the shutting down of Copper Kettle, it is that there will be none of the guilt, for the closure is not for a lack of business. Or at least that is what the owner, Zeeshan, told Pakistan Today.
“It was running fine. As it had been for 25 years. But I can’t sit around focusing on this forever. I have other enterprises as well. So it was either expansion or putting an end to it, and that’s how the decision was made” he said.
Frequent visitors of the Gulberg area may find this a rather fishy statement judging by traffic and rush at the restaurant, but whatever the reality, it is a time for reflection for those that will now remember Copper Kettle fondly.
