Pubs should pay more says ALG

The Association of London Government (ALG) wants pubs, bars and late-night clubs to pay more for their licence fees than other venues.

The ALG wants the main use of a building to be taken into account not just its rateable value - and says if its main use is selling alcohol then it should pay extra.

There is a massive anomaly in the system when a licence for a small bar in the British Library costs more than one for a nightclub ​ Chairman of the ALG transport and environment committee, Cllr Daniel Moylan.

It believes pubs, clubs and music venues should pay more to cover the extra costs they impose on local authorities.

It says this would help remove the problem faced by the British Library which it says is paying more for its licence than any of the capital's late night clubs and bars.

Elton Panel​The proposals have been put forward in the ALG's submission to the Elton Panel, an independently chaired body set up by the Government to review the levels of the fees.

A spokesman said: "Late night venues result in extra costs for councils as they have to make arrangements for additional street cleaning and enforcement action because of complaints from local residents.​

"To address these problems the ALG has recommended that a number of special add-ons be included in the cost of a licence, such as whether the premises is open after 11pm; sells alcohol as its main business; or whether there is live music."

Premium​ "A premium would also be added to the basic licence cost if selling alcohol is the venue's main business.

This would lead to pubs paying more for a licence than a similar sized restaurant.

Chairman of the ALG transport and environment committee, Cllr Daniel Moylan, said: "There is a massive anomaly in the system when a licence for a small bar in the British Library costs more than one for a nightclub or late night bar.

"This clearly needs addressing."

Problems​He added: "It is also important that venues with the potential to cause problems for their local communities act responsibly and pay their fair share towards the cost of the licence and any enforcement needed."​

The ALG is also suggesting that Westminster, Camden and Kensington and Chelsea councils receive compensation for the extra burden caused by the large number of licences they oversee.

Should pubs and clubs pay more for their licenses than restaurants and other licensed venues? Email us by clicking this link​ - please indicate which story you are responding to.

Your Comments​Ken Nason​ via email 20/09/2006"My memory is of course deteriorating with advancing years but if I can remember way back to the long ago years of the new licensing then I am sure that executives of the ALG must suffer from collective amnesia.

The aim of the act was to unify and simplify and standardise the licensing for venues supplying alcohol, enetertainment and food was it not?

Now we have an LA who want to alter all that by singling out alcohol suppliers as a special license to fill their own coffers. They give their reasons as unfairness for restaurant/bar enforcement costs. What they forget to state is that in many cases bars pay a much higher business rates than restaurants at the moment anyway because they are rated on turnover while restaurants are rated on square footage.

They say that late night venues cause more costs for cleaning when most of that is caused by takeaways.

The British Museum is of course a red herring to distract from the fact that these LA's look upon pubs and clubs as a cash cow to fill their inefficiently run coffers.

Another case of blatant "pound the pub!"

Robert Feal-Martinez​ via email 20/09/2006"I agree totally with Ken, all I would add, is he, like me warned way back that this would happen but as always the trade bodies sung from a different song sheet to front line operators. They continue to do the same over the smoking ban which will be the final nail in hundreds if not thousands of Licensees coffins."