Newcastle consults on plan to bring in late night levy in November

Newcastle City Council could be one of the first local authorities in the country to bring in a late night levy after launching a consultation on introducing a scheme in November this year.

The council suggests that licensed premises authorised to supply alcohol between midnight and 6 am would have to pay an annual levy of between £299 and £4,440, “depending on their rateable value and whether the premises primarily or exclusively are used to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises”. 

Newcastle said: “This will provide a contribution towards the cost of policing and other costs arising from the impact of premises supplying alcohol late at night. After deducting administrative expenses, the net proceeds will be shared 70:30 between the police and the council.”

The consultation proposes that certain categories of premises will be exempt from the levy. They are:

• Premises providing overnight accommodation where alcohol can only be supplied to persons staying at the premises for consumption on the premises as defined in regulation 4(a) of the Late Night Levy (Expenses, Exemptions and Reductions) Regulations 2012 (“the Exemption Regulations”);
• Theatres, cinemas and bingo halls as defined in regulations 4(b), 4(c) and 4(d) of the Exemption Regulations;
• Registered Community Amateur Sports Clubs as defined in regulation 4(e) of the Exemption Regulations;
• Certain Community Premises as defined in regulation 4(f) of the Exemption Regulations; and
• Premises only authorised to supply alcohol between midnight and 6am on New Year’s Day as defined in regulation 4(i) of the Exemption Regulations.

Country village pubs and premises within a business improvement district will not be exempt. Newcastle also said it does not propose to reduce the levy for premises subject to small business rates relief.

However, it is consulting on the development of a business led best practice scheme. “If an acceptable scheme is developed, the council is willing to consider permitting a 30% reduction in the levy for members of the scheme,” Newcastle said.

The ability to introduce a late night levy was brought in under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

If approved, the levy in Newcastle will come into force on 1 November.

The consultation runs until 30 April. More information can be found here.