Holiday House has its Own Standard

The State Committee (SC) for Standardization has established new standards for Houses of Celebrations, the press service of the SC said. The new rules will come into force on 1 January 2013.

Under the new rules, Houses of Celebrations are to have the following: a wardrobe, a toilet, a bathroom, a telephone, a lounge, a bar, a room for artists, a room for the bride, a room for the administrator, and a room for photos. The lobby area should occupy one quarter of the hall, having 0.3-0.45 sq. meters per person.

During ceremonies, a doctor should be present.

The new rules will give special attention to the kitchen. The general area should be 0.40 square meters per person. The kitchen should have separate compartments for the preparation of snacks, a room for cooking on the grill with a ventilation system, a separate room preparing meat dishes as well as steak.

There are also standards for cooking and washing dishes, storing tablecloths, napkins, towels, and foods.

According to standards, the distance between table and chairs in the common room should be 40-45 cm and the distance between parallel tables, 80-100 cm. At the table the space for each visito should have a width of 55-60 cm. If the service is conducted under "luxury" class, this distance increases to 75 cm. The shape of the table should be square, rectangular or round.  French style service should have round tables, the English style, rectangular and square tables should be used with specific dimensions.

Standards also apply to general flooring, dance floors, lighting, and the stage. Amplifiers must be installed so sound does not annoy the audience. The sound in the room should not exceed 85 decibels.

Under the new standards, kitchen workers should undergo and pass a medical checkup every three months, other staff every six months, and provide a certificate of health. The administrator, the bartender, the sommelier, and the cooks must have a proper education. The rules show specific requirements for all personnel.

Note that in Baku there are over 100 celebration houses, most of which are unlikely to meet the above requirements. Some of the biggest criticism from visitors are loud music, bad food and bad service. -04D-