Chelmsford councillors last night voted to approve the controversial Late Night Levy, forcing bars selling alcohol late in the evening to pay towards policing the city centre.
Following a 12-week consultation and the recommendation of the scheme at a licencing committee meeting earlier this month, the project was granted the go-ahead last night at a full council meeting (July 16).
Chelmsford City Council cabinet member for safer communities Cllr Ian Grundy said: "Chelmsford has a thriving evening economy, endorsed by the city's Purple Flag status, a national recognition of safe and vibrant places at night.
"The money raised by the levy will be used to provide additional projects and initiatives to keep the city centre even safer as well as developing on-going projects.
"We want Chelmsford to be a place that people continue to choose to visit and to ensure we keep the city safe for them and our residents."
The scheme will mean the majority of premises in the city centre, 41 of them, will pay a total of £768 towards city centre policing per year.
Fourteen of them however, the largest venues staying open latest, could pay as much as £1,500 annually.
Chelmsford and Maldon district commander Alan Cook has previously said the cost is relatively small when considering it cost Essex Police about £723,000 to attend incidents in the city centre last year.
The money raised through the scheme will help fund additional city centre safety initiatives such as Street Pastors.
The project however has come under considerable fire from the venue owners themselves.
Joe Ferrari, the manager of The Cave in Viaduct Road, said: "The Late Night Levy is just another tax.
"I understand why it's being introduced because the police are under a lot of pressure, but I hope they spend the money on what they initially said they would, and then it will be money well spent.
"If it all gets swallowed into the general police budget it will be a disgrace."
The Golden Fleece landlord Brett Sanders said: "I don't agree with the Late Night Levy at all and I am very disappointed with the way the council has gone about it. We've had no information about the meetings that have and will take place.
"The numbers they've provided us with don't add up and the survey provided by the council doesn't allow people to say no. I have no idea why they're doing this; it's of no benefit to anyone.
"Is alcohol really a big problem in Chelmsford? I would say Chelmsford is one of the safest cities in the UK.
