THE hotly debated booze tax on bars, pubs and clubs in Chelmsford city centre has been given the go-ahead.
The late-night levy scheme, meaning venues serving alcohol beyond 1am could be forced to pay as much as £1,493 annually towards policing, was granted approval at a full council meeting last week.
District commander for Chelmsford and Maldon Alan Cook, who is now holding his breath at the prospect of legal challenges from disgruntled businesses, stressed the scheme would benefit the entire city.
The tax could be enforced as soon as November 1 this year.
"I am very pleased it was successful. As I have said before it seems a relatively modest amount for businesses to pay," said chief inspector Cook.
"I don't think this is about driving people away from the city centre, it's about making this a better environment for everyone to enjoy and to ultimately benefit everyone across the board."
The venues open between 1am and 6am serving alcohol will pay between £299 and nearly £1,500 depending on their opening hours and size.
The majority of premises, 41 of them, will pay a total of £768 a year, as advised when the government amended late night levy legislation in 2011.
Cinemas, theatres, and venues just open on New Year's Eve and those with overnight accommodation will be exempt.
While the scheme will cost between £4,000 and £5,000 to implement, the council estimates the project will raise £77,762.
The Safer Chelmsford Partnership, an amalgamation including city council members, police officers and Neighbourhood Watch members, will then plunge the money into late-night initiatives such as training for Street Pastors and funding body cameras for door staff.
Chelmsford City Council cabinet member for safer communities Cllr Ian Grundy said: "The money raised by the levy will be used to provide additional projects and initiatives to keep the city centre even safer."
Mr Cook, however, is wary of potential legal action from venues feeling persecuted by the scheme, which also have the option of varying their licence conditions before November.
"There will possibly be some legal challenges," he said.
Landlord of The Golden Fleece Brett Sanders has been outspoken throughout the scheme's consultation process, claiming the city centre's economy will be destroyed by the levy.
"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," he said. "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."
Joe Ferrari, manager of The Cave strip club 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."
Marketing director of Chicago Leisure Jae Hopkins, the company behind Chicago's nightclub in Moulsham Street which is set to feel the full force of the levy, said: "We feel the imposition of a late-night levy in Chelmsford will negatively affect the town's nighttime economy.
"There's a great deal of competition from both London and other Essex towns, and putting an additional charge in will make it harder for Chelmsford's bars and clubs to offer great value – both in terms of entertainment and drinks."
