No new tax...
TOWN hall bosses on Tyneside have dismissed claims that pubs and bars are going to be hit with a “booze tax”.
A national newspaper has claimed Newcastle City Council chiefs are preparing to introduce a new rule asking premises to sign up to a minimum price of 50p per alcohol unit.
But the council’s policy of having a voluntary minimum pricing scheme is nothing new - it has been in place since 2013 and they aren’t making any changes in the near future.
The reason it has come up again is because the council have to republish their licensing objectives every five years.
So, while they are “recommitting” to this policy, nothing is changing - in fact, the wording in the new council report is exactly the same as it was five years ago.
On top of that, the council is legally unable to impose a minimum unit price.
They can review the licences of places associated with alcohol relate crime or disorder and, if they haven’t already adopted the policy, could impose it under these circumstances.
But they are prohibited from hitting businesses with the “booze tax” without good cause and a proper review.
A council spokesperson sought to clear up the situation.
They said: “For clarification, local authorities do not have powers to enforce minimum unit pricing on alcohol in England.
“Newcastle City Council signed up to the LGA Declaration of Alcohol in 2015 as we have a clear commitment to reduce the harm caused by alcohol.
“We work closely with licensed premises to encourage safe and responsible drinking.
“This includes a voluntary code to set a minimum unit price of 50p for all alcohol sold. This recommendation has been adopted by other councils, and has been in place in Newcastle since 2013.
“Minimum unit pricing has proven to be one of the most effective ways of tackling the issues caused by excessive drinking and related anti-social behaviour.
“By working together with the licensed trade, we can ensure Newcastle continues to thrive and the city centre is an attractive destination for all”.