Wembley could be latest hotspot to introduce tourist tax after visitor levy proposed
A motion was proposed at a Brent Council meeting on Monday to seek ways to introduce a visitor levy on hotels and short-stay accommodation.
Brent is home to Wembley Stadium, the largest stadium in the UK and the second largest in Europe, which attracts tens of thousands of fans to music concerts and various sports events throughout the year.
As the national stadium of England and home to English football, it can fill 90,000 seats, selling out matches as well as hosting the likes of Oasis and Coldplay in upcoming gigs.
The stadium brings economic benefits for Brent when fans flock to the venue, boosting the local economy by roughly £4.35m every time a non-sporting event is held.
However, the large crowds also usher in increased noise, pollution, congestion and pressure on council services.
To combat this, Brent Council is exploring ways of ensuring "the benefit of our world-class events are felt by all residents", according to the BBC's Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
After Monday's discussion, the council ultimately passed the motion and is starting the next step of getting permission from the central government to impose a levy.
Councillor Mary Mitchell added that London boroughs should take inspiration from other cities across the UK and Europe that impose visitor levies on tourists, to then reinvest in local infrastructure.
She said that the money raised from such a levy could fund waste enforcement and improvements to parks and green spaces.
However, the UK government at present has no law giving English local authorities the power to impose visitor levies. The LDRS said the council will write to the relevant Secretary of State requesting such powers to be bestowed.
The council will also seek support from the mayor of London over a voluntary levy on stadium and arena tickets to fund cultural grassroots opportunities.
While there is no official law in place in England, using legal workarounds has meant Liverpool and Manchester have introduced a form of tourism levy through initiatives run by hotels.
Both Wales and Scotland's governments have passed laws allowing local authorities to introduce visitor levies, with Wales giving the go-ahead on 8 July for councils to start discussions to introduce these taxes by 2027.
The Welsh levy will be set at £1.30 per person per night for visitors staying in various types of accommodation, including hotels and bed and breakfasts.
If visitors are camping or staying in a hostel in Wales, councils will only be able to charge 75p per person per night. The charge will also only be applicable is the visitor is over 18 years old.
Edinburgh became the first city to vote in January to add a five per cent surcharge on visitors' overnight stays by 2026.
Glasgow then followed, giving the green light to introduce a tourist tax on accommodation in its city by 2027.
The Independent has contacted Brent Council for further comment.
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