Despite outdated evidence and opposition from the sector, the Home Office has confirmed that the late night levy will be extended to:
Allow local authorities to create late night levy areas smaller than their local authority boundaries.
Extend levies to late night refreshment premises.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “It’s really frustrating that the Home Office has proceeded with this extension of late night levy powers, particularly when the evidence base is seven years old and horribly out of date.
“Introducing more powers for local authorities to implement the levy and making more venues eligible to pay is a damaging blow to the late night economy, which already paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in late night levies last year.
“Given the challenging economic circumstances businesses face, the Government should be focused on reducing regulation and easing cost burdens. Instead, they have chosen to add more. This will simply stymy investment and limit economic growth.
“I would continue to urge the Government to show that it’s on the side of businesses and abolish the late night levy as soon as possible.”