Owners of Blackpool Bars are Unhappy reports BarStoolMegaStore.com

Blackpool's City Council About to Pass a New Liquor Levy

Jhikgifgi, CT (prHWY.com) November 20, 2012 - San Francisco, CA- Starting from next year, Blackpool bars may be charged an extra "tax" for serving alcohol after midnight, as the city's council is currently looking into a late night levy on venues which open late.

Licensing chiefs may also decide to introduce an early morning restriction order (EMRO), which would limit opening hours of Blackpool bars.

However, publicans recently told The Gazette that this move would be a significant financial blow to already struggling businesses. The first levies, if passed, will range from about £299 to £4,400. The amount depends on the varying value of the premises; these new levies will not be implemented until April of 2013. The income generated from this new levy would be split to different city resources, with 70% going to the police and 30% going to local councils.

Coun Norman Hardy, Blackpool's licensing chairman, said of the levies: "I think it is something worth looking at but we must have reasonable expectation that the figures fit if we do introduce a levy. . . We only have one 6am licence in Blackpool, with other late night premises operating until 3am or 4am. . . If we were minded to introduce any of these changes, we would have to go out to consultation and then decide what to do and nothing would come into force until the first of April next year."

Licensees in the resort predict that the new levy will negatively affect trade. The chairman of Blackpool Pubwatch, Craig Southall, explained, "It's something we don't really think is a good idea because all bars will be finishing at 12 and putting people out on the streets at the same time. . . All our staff could start losing hours so it's going to be quite bad for all the staff members involved."

Southall also stated that, "Blackpool is a high unemployment area and all of a sudden people, through no fault of their own, may lose out on work. . . With Blackpool being the way it is, going out of season at the moment, it's very bad timing and the pubs need all the help they can get at the moment instead of these extra levies. . . We're already paying our rates and we're a struggling industry as it is - it's becoming impossible to trade."

Michael Sugden, one of the directors of Ma Kelly's, which has three pubs in Blackpool and has just bought a fourth venue,also stated, "All our venues open after midnight and K2, which we have just bought, has a 4am licence. . . We already have to pay business rates, rent, electricity and everything else so this levy would be another bill we could do without. . .And it is not as if it is guaranteed the money which comes in would be spent on local policing. . . A lot of businesses won't be able to afford it."

Dave Daley, the landlord of The Castle pub on Central Drive, stated: "The town centre pubs might be OK with this, but it could be to the detriment of those on the edge who currently open until 1am. . .I would definitely want the money ring-fenced for licensing issues. . .But I think Blackpool Council needs to consider what the impact could be on town centre businesses before it makes a decision on this."

Additionally, the manager of The Belle Vue in Whitegate Drive, Dan Johnson, commented: "You can imagine it wouldn't be viable for a lot of places to open. . . It seems like drinking is the new smoking, they're trying to shut it down. . .You can understand why they're doing it because there's an increase in crime after midnight, but it's the minority spoiling it for the rest of us."

Bill Tankard, licensee at the Don Pepe Bar, in King Street, agreed with the other managers and explained, "It will affect quite a few businesses and it's going to affect pricing again. . .It doesn't help the staff either but the thing is the industry is struggling and those in power are just making it worse."

The assistant manager at Tommy Ducks, Elaine Fitzgerald, on the Promenade, was as equally upset as her colleagues in Blackpool, saying, "It's not very fair because if the licence they've got allows them to open later they shouldn't have to pay extra. . . If it came in the company probably wouldn't pay for it."

What did the deputy manager at the Dunes Hotel in Lytham Road, Vicky Green, have to say about the new levy? "I don't think it's very good or fair, although it will probably affect the independent pubs worst."

As the Home Office has estimated the measures could generate about £17m per year, Blackpool's city council has no qualms about securing the new levy. Minister for Crime Prevention Jeremy Browne said, "It is reasonable to expect those profiting from the sale of alcohol to help pay the costs of policing, rather than expecting taxpayers to foot the entire bill."

If the Blackpool Council decides to pass the levy, it will need a 42-day consultation, as well as a hearing that will gather representatives from different businesses. The levy will need to be passed by an unanimous council.

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