Bolton Council approves introduction of Late Night Levy

Further to my previous eNews Bolton Council approved the introduction of the Late Night Levy yesterday evening.

The Council will be the first to institute a Late Night Levy for both alcohol and late night refreshment premises. This would be the 11^th Council that has a Late Night Levy in force within the country.

The Late Night Levy will require licensed premises selling alcohol or providing late night refreshment (hot food) between the hours of 3am and 6am in the Town Centre to pay an additional annual ‘levy’ fee. The Levy fee will range from £299 to the maximum of £4,440 depending on the rateable value of the premises and whether it is used exclusively or primarily for the sale of alcohol.

The report on the Late Night Levy states there are currently 39 bars, takeaways and supermarket premises within Bolton that would be subject to the levy.

We  understand no exemptions or reductions will apply, with the report citing this is due to the type of venues contained within the planned zone who benefit from a late night authorisation.

The majority of funds raised will go to the police, with the Council permitted to retain up to 30% 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.

As with annual fees for premises licences, the council has the power to suspend the premises licence for non-payment of the levy.

The start date for the levy is proposed to be 1 February 2025.

It is proposed that formal notification of the levy to holders of relevant authorisations that would be liable to pay the levy will be sent out by 1 November 2024.

The Council will then allow licence holders a period to make an application to vary their licence to reduce their licensed hours so they do not fall within the operational hours of the levy (03:00 to 06:00 hours).

There will be no fee for such valid application provided it is received by the Council within the period following the date of a formal decision notice to introduce the Levy up until the date the Levy starts.

For further information or queries, please feel free to contact Suraj Desor or any of our licensing solicitors.