Bolton bars and takeaways to be charged up to £1500 to open late
The council's charging a 'late night levy' to help pay for policing and cleaning up
Dozens of bars and takeaways in Bolton will have to pay a ‘late night levy’ to help pay for policing and cleaning up. A new policy will charge town centre businesses open between 3am and 6am, many of which are centred on the Bradshawgate area, up to £1,493 per year.
The move comes as a former leader of the council described ‘mayhem on Bradshawgate’ between 3am and 6am at weekends. In August, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) provided details of their activity in Bolton town centre over the previous 18-month period.
There were 429 arrests, 380 stop and searches, 48 dispersal notices and 515 licensed premises compliance checks. Crimes recorded included 136 drunk and disorderly and 32 public order and affray offences.
Speaking at a full council meeting which approved the levy, Conservative leader Martyn Cox said when he was council leader senior police officers described ‘mayhem on Bradshawgate’ between 3am and 6am.
He said: “Police officers were being injured, there were sexual assaults and vicious assaults on members fo the public.
“It was not doing our town any good whatsoever. “That’s not a night time economy – it’s mayhem.
“The levy knits in with what we are trying to do on the town centre, which to to attract people to live in it.” The levy could be imposed on 39 businesses in the town and will be payable annually.
The majority of funds raised will go to the police but the council will be able to retain up to 30 per cent to fund services it provides to tackle late night alcohol-related crime and disorder, and services connected to the management of the night time economy. The charge to businesses will vary from £299 for those with a rateable value of zero to £4,500 and £1,493 for premises with a rateable value in excess of £125,000.
There are currently 39 bars, takeaways and supermarket premises within Bolton that would be subject to the levy. GMP said there were “reoccurring problems in relation to violence, including violence against women and girls, persons being drunk and disorderly, assaults on the police, and the supply of drugs and drug taking” in Bolton town centre.
They added: “These are all a significant impact on limited resources and the reputation of Bolton.” Labour cabinet member Sue Haworth proposed the levy’s introduction.
She said: . “We acknowledge the late night problems in Bolton town centre while simultaneously having optimism that more people will want to both eat out and drink at restaurants pubs and cafés.
“The late night economy can generate crime, anti-social behaviour and litter and also people down on their luck needing support. “There are also people with menace in mind.
“In a university town like Bolton it is no surprise that a number of late night venues have been offered for while. up to 3am, 4am, even 5am and 6am.
“The customer base has changed somewhat.
“Some folk don’t urn out until 2.30am nowadays. “Pre-loading goes on and some come into the town centre having been at other venues.
“Other groups congregate nearby takeaways and their are flashpoints. “This becomes hard and expensive to police.
“The late night levy will be a fair system.” The start date for the levy is set to be February 1 next year.
Non-payment of the levy could result in suspension of a premises licence by the council.