Police tax still a real possibility
The government has refused to rule out paid-for-policing as a measure to reduce alcohol-related violence in town and city centres.
As the national media continues to stoke the flames over licensing reform and extended hours, culture secretary Tessa Jowell and home secretary Charles Clarke have publicly stated that a levy on pubs is still a possibility.
A joint statement from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and the Home Office, stated: "Mr Clarke has asked ministers, they are particularly open to new ideas that further incentivise good behaviour and more vigorously penalise bad behaviour on the part of customers and licensees alike.
"On the basis of this nothing has been ruled in or ruled out."
In an interview with The Times last week Mr Clarke added to the speculation by saying that he was looking at ways to only charge those who contribute to the problem on town centre streets but many in the trade do not see this as practical.
"Setting up something like that would cost more in administration than it would make," noted Jon Collins, chief executive at the Bar Entertainment & Dance Association.
"Then there's the fact that targeting specific operators would be impossible with the drinking circuit culture we have and the fact that most trouble happens in public spaces anyway.
"A national levy wouldn't be fair either, there's no guarantee that the money will be distributed evenly, with some towns needing extra policing more than others."
If the government commits to a levy a universal tax could yet be enforced, on top of all the taxes licensees already pay.
The British Beer & Pub Association pointed out that the licensed trade already handed over £22bn in taxes a year, at a time when the government was spending £10bn on the whole of the police force.
Chris Smith, licensee at the Chambers in Folkestone, Kent, added: "The government would be better placed targeting off-licences who sell alcohol to a lot of the trouble-makers. There's no way I should be paying more money because a minority of operators are irresponsible."
Related articles:
Jowell looks at pay-for-policing (17 January 2005)
