Since June 2026, there is a ban on night selling alcohol in shops throughout Warsaw. However, one of the liquor stores in New World found a way to continue serving liquor after 10:00. It just turns into a bar.
How does this trick work?
Owner of a 24-hour store World Alcohols 24h at ul. Nowy Świat 30 came up with a simple but effective idea. By 10:00 p.m., the place works like a regular liquor store. After 22:00, he formally goes into the gastronomy mode. Clients get alcohol for on-site consumption – often in a plastic cup, with an open bottle and a higher price.
It's not a random catch. The rules clearly state: the ban applies to shops, kiosks and petrol stations, but does not include catering establishments – bars, restaurants or food points on site. Just a few tables, a microwave snack, and a regulation to meet the requirements.
What changed in Warsaw?
- From 1 November 2025 – pilotage in Midtown and Prague-North.
- From 1 June 2026 – the ban applies throughout the city from 22:00 to 6:00.
Aim? Greater security at night, less drunkenness under shops, and less guard intervention. The city authorities stress that bars and restaurants can continue to operate normally.
Why does it work and then what?
This case shows a gap in the law that the authorities do not have a simple solution for now. President Rafał Trzaskowski announced a lack of a concession tariff for creative circumvention, but blocking such a model is not easy – it would require changes in business definitions.
Many Warsawians see the wit of the situation in this: the ban was to restrict access, and instead a night "fast food bar" was created. On the other hand – higher prices in the night mode (more expensive beer by a few zlotys) and the necessity of consumption on the spot slightly reduce the enthusiasm.
If the owner didn't get his hands on the second gastro license, the health department, access to the bathroom, etc., they'll take the first one.