Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth has said she is “concerned” for the future of measures to keep Newcastle’s streets safe after the city council scrapped the Late Night Levy on bars and clubs. Newcastle City Council voted on Wednesday to end the annual fee of up to £4,400 charged on venues with a licence to sell alcohol between midnight and 6am.
The charge has raised more than £3 million since it was introduced in 2013, with proceeds funding safety initiatives including the Bigg Market’s Safe Haven van, extra police patrols, and taxi marshals. City leaders have promised that its abolition will not mean a decline in safety, but the move has sparked concern over the long-term sustainability of such schemes and the impact particularly on women and girls.
Funding gap concerns
Liberal Democrat council leader Colin Ferguson told colleagues on Wednesday that a funding pot to replace the levy was only guaranteed for the next year at present. Dungworth said on Thursday that she was “disappointed” to see the levy being dropped and called for long-term commitments to be made urgently.
The Labour politician added: “One of the things that makes Newcastle such a great place to go out, is that people often feel it’s a safe city – and that’s because we have a range of measures in place funded through this levy like extra police patrols, CCTV and our Safe Haven Van.”
“While I am pleased to hear there is guaranteed funding from the Council and NE1 for the year ahead – the question remains - then what? Without any long-term funding plan, I am concerned about the future financing of additional police resources and victim support provisions that have long been in place to help keep the streets safe at night. We have to consider how safe people will feel, including those who work in the night time economy – especially if some of these things have to be taken away in the future.”
Replacement fund pledged
Hospitality businesses have been calling for the levy to be axed to reduce their financial burden at a time of rising costs, with Newcastle left as one of only two cities outside London to charge it. A report presented to councillors states that a replacement fund to be administered by business improvement district company NE1 Ltd is “expected to be at the same financial level as the last full financial year of the levy and provide funds of £216,000”, though the specific sources of that cash have not been named.
Coun Ferguson said on Thursday: “The Late Night Levy was a measure introduced when the character of the city's nightlife was different to what it is today. Now, at a time when our pubs, bars and clubs are under so much pressure, it is no longer fit for purpose, and places an unfair burden on a small number of licensed venues in the city.”
“I am therefore pleased that, in line with the wishes of the trade and public expressed during extensive consultations, we can revoke the Late Night Levy and give those who were paying some breathing room. However, our commitment to safety in the night-time economy remains as firm as ever. The positive work that the Levy supported will continue, and we believe that working with NE1, Northumbria Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, we can deliver ongoing, focused, and ultimately improved measures to support the safety of everyone, particularly women and girls.”
He added: “We're committed to supporting the incredible hospitality offer Newcastle is famed for, and we will continue to lobby Government for new measures to solve pressures facing the sector and ensure our city can thrive.”
