From June 2026, a night-time ban on alcohol sales in shops applies across Warsaw. However, one liquor store on Nowy Świat has found a way to keep serving drinks after 22:00. It simply turns into a bar.
How does this trick work?
The owner of the around-the-clock shop Świat Alkoholi 24h at 30 Nowy Świat Street came up with a simple but effective idea. Until 22:00, the premises operate as an ordinary liquor store. After 22:00, they formally switch to the status of a food and drink establishment. Customers get alcohol to consume on site – often in a plastic cup, with an open bottle, and at a higher price.
This is not an accidental loophole. The regulations are clear: the ban applies to shops, kiosks and petrol stations, but does not cover catering establishments – bars, restaurants or places serving food on site. A few tables, a microwave snack and a set of house rules are enough to meet the requirements.
What has changed in Warsaw?
- From 1 November 2025 – pilot programme in Śródmieście and Praga-Północ.
- From 1 June 2026 – the ban applies across the whole city between 22:00 and 6:00.
The goal? Greater safety at night, less drunkenness outside shops and fewer interventions by the city guard. The city authorities stress that bars and restaurants may continue to operate normally.
Why does it work, and what comes next?
This case highlights a gap in the law for which the authorities currently have no simple solution. Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski has announced no leniency for creative circumvention of the rules, but blocking such a model is not easy – it would require changes to the definitions of economic activity.
Many Varsovians see the irony of the situation: the ban was meant to limit access, but instead a night-time „fast-service bar” has emerged. On the other hand, higher prices at night (beer several zloty more expensive) and the requirement to drink on site somewhat dampen the enthusiasm.
