Chelmsford 'Alcohol Tax' Given The Go Ahead

A booze tax on bars, pubs and clubs in Chelmsford city centre has been given the go-ahead at acouncil meeting last week, and could be enforced as soon as November 1 this year. The tax menas that venues serving alcohol past 1am could be forced to pay as much as £1,493 annually towards the cost of policing.

District commander for Chelmsford and Maldon Alan Cook stressed the scheme would benefit the entire city. He is however prepating himself for legal challenges from disgruntled local businesses (the businesses will have the option of varying their licence conditions before November). "I am very pleased it was successful. As I have said before it seems a relatively modest amount for businesses to pay, I don't think this is about driving people away from the city centre, it's about making this a better environment for everyone to enjoy and to ultimately benefit everyone across the board."

Any venues that are open between 1am and 6am and serving alcohol will have to pay between £299 and nearly £1,500 - the exact ammount will be dependent on their opening hours and size. 41 of the premises, will pay a total of £768 a year, as advised when the government amended late night levy legislation in 2011. Venues such as Cinemas, theatres, and venues just open on New Year's Eve and those that also offer overnight accommodation will be exempt from the tax.

The scheme that will cost between £4,000 and £5,000 to implement, is estimate dto raise £77,762, This money will be used to fund late-night initiatives such as training for Street Pastors and funding body cameras for door staff, all initiatives designed to keep the city centre even safer.

The Manager of The Cave strip club in Viaduct Road, Joe Ferrari, said: "The late-night levy is just another tax. "I understand why it's being introduced because the police are under a lot of pressure, but I hope they spend the money on what they initially said they would, and then it will be money well spent. If it all gets swallowed into the general police budget it will be a disgrace."

Brett Sanders the Landlord of The Golden Fleece has been outspoken throughout the scheme's consultation process, claiming the city centre's economy will be destroyed by the levy. "I don't agree with the late-night levy at all and I am very disappointed with the way the council has gone about it," he said. "We've had no information about the meetings that have and will take place. The numbers they've provided us with don't add up and the survey provided by the council doesn't allow people to say no. I have no idea why they're doing this; it's of no benefit to anyone."

Marketing director of Chicago Leisure Jae Hopkins, the company behind Chicago's nightclub in Moulsham Street which is set to feel the full force of the levy, said: "We feel the imposition of a late-night levy in Chelmsford will negatively affect the town's nighttime economy. There's a great deal of competition from both London and other Essex towns, and putting an additional charge in will make it harder for Chelmsford's bars and clubs to offer great value – both in terms of entertainment and drinks."

Source & Photo credit  www.essexchronicle.co.uk