KARACHI: A landmark in its own right, Metropole Hotel is poised to fade into history. But those who had spent a good part of their evenings in a company of top journalists may not forget the memories associated with it.

How would those feel who had been regular/ daily visitors to some of its reserved counters is difficult to say, as much has changed since then.

Situated at a walking distance from the newspapers offices, it was convenient for a junior member of the journalist fraternity to measure the distance just in a few minutes and to be at his seat listening to the seniors commenting on national and international affairs. Many of that era are no more with us, their memories are.

Reminiscences of that progressive era, extensive and lively discussions on every subject under the sun may be difficult to forget for the surviving ones.

It may not be that easy to forget the memories associated with the Metropole Hotel. It was a daily evening meeting ground for the city journalists before most of them shifted to Lahore.

The evenings at the Metropole Hotel remained an envy of journalists. In fact, Metropole Hotel of 50s, being one of the top hotels had other attractions too, both for the foreign and local visitors.

The second alternative was the Palace Hotel, a prestigious structure from the Raj era. It had its own charms but in no way matching with those of the Metropole.

The Palace Hotel left its legacy for the Sheraton. One wishes if Metropole management could have opted for an identical venture to keep the memories associated with it alive.—Shaharyar