Late Night Levy in Westminster?

As part of the Westminster After Dark strategy, the Westminster Council proposed a consultation on the introduction of a Late Night levy on late night venues which sell alcohol.  The strategy stated that the proposed levy, would,

“help residents and visitors feel more secure, boosting economic opportunities for night-time venues and supporting a thriving evening and night-time economy”.

The amount is set by the government and ranges from £299 to £4,400 a year, depending on the rateable value of the premises.

Hospitality lobby group, UKHospitality have been very critical of the levy, with UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls stating:

“Venues are already battling with the additional £3.4b annual increase imposed upon them in April and implementing further taxes in some of London’s most well-known and vibrant areas, like Soho, would be a huge mistake”.

The consultation on the proposal closed on the 22 June and we will be keeping a close eye on the publication of consultation results.