St James' Park fanzone 'putting Newcastle pubs at risk'
An application has been made for a High Court judicial review of the council's decision to extend the planning permission, which the NE1 Hospitality Group believes is "unlawful".Judicial reviews can only be used to challenge the legality of a planning decision that has been made, not the merits of the application in question.Hospitality bosses are angry the decision to extend Stack's temporary planning permission was made by council officers rather than being put before elected politicians who sit on the authority's planning committee, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
'Fighting for survival'
A spokesperson for the alliance said: "The fanzone is drawing trade away from the very venues that helped build Newcastle's reputation for hospitality. We're not against progress but it must be fair and sustainable."Several major venues have already closed this year. Investment is drying up. Jobs are under threat. And the council seems unwilling to listen."This Judicial review is a last resort, but we cannot allow the voices of local businesses to be drowned out."Barry Ladhar, whose Ladhar Group counts Pleased To Meet You and Lady Greys among its portfolio, said that rather than being "golden days for local hospitality ... last season showed that trade is being diverted to the fanzone".Tommy Byron, of the Dog and Parrot bar on Clayton Street West, warned venues were "fighting for survival".
Vaulkhard Group boss Ollie Vaulkhard, whose venues include the Town Wall and Bridge Tavern pubs, described his business as suffering "a steady erosion of income" and argued "growth should benefit the whole city, not just one mega-venue".There are 175 people employed at Stack, which is built from 56 repurposed shipping containers.The venue welcomed 35,000 people during Sam Fender's concerts at St James' Park this summer - about a fifth of the total number of people who attended the three gigs.The council said it wanted to "work with businesses to ensure Newcastle continues to thrive as a hub for hospitality" and had "agreed to meet a number ... who had raised concerns around pressures on the hospitality industry".However, it said that meeting had to be postponed when it became aware legal proceedings were to be launched because it would not be possible to discuss the issues."While we understand and recognise the concerns raised, as a council we cannot regulate competition in the city centre and that would not be grounds to refuse a planning application," it added.Newcastle United were contacted for a response.
Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
JK Rowling reignites row with Nicola Sturgeon in foul-mouthed ‘review' of her memoir
JK Rowling has reignited her feud with Nicola Sturgeon as she blasted her new autobiography in a 'review' posted on social media. The author and gender critical activist posted a picture of scribbled-on pages of ' Frankly ', which was released this week, on X in a continuation of their long-standing clash over the issue of transgender rights. On one page, she scrawled 'Are you f***ing kidding me???' over a page where she accused Ms Sturgeon of 'opining on the need to make the 'public sphere' safe for women and girls'. It comes after years of tension between the pair during heated rows over Scotland's approach to trans rights. In a post on X, Ms Rowling wrote: 'Annotating as I read to review. Might auction my scribbled-on copy, proceeds to go to @ForWomenScot. NB: nobody who's offended by swearing should bid.' While in office, the former first minister doggedly attempted to push through legislation creating a self-identification system for people who want to change gender, which was eventually blocked by the UK government. The ensuing debate partly led to her resignation as first minister in February 2023. Following the proposed reforms in 2022, Ms Rowling wore a t-shirt calling Sturgeon a 'destroyer of women's rights'. Ms Sturgeon later called for both sides of the debate to 'treat each other with respect'. In her book she recalled the incident, after which she received a barrage of abuse, writing: 'It was deeply ironic that those who subjected me to this level of hatred and misogynistic abuse often claimed to be doing so in the interests of women's safety.' They have clashed on a number of other occasions, including after the Supreme Court judgement in April that the legal definition of a woman refers to biological sex. Ms Sturgeon refused to comment on the decision, with Ms Rowling later sharing a social media post including a photograph of the SNP leader in the gym branding her 'Pontius Pilates', an apparent biblical reference accusing her of shirking responsibility. Speaking about the trans rights row that dominated her final few months in office in her memoir, Ms Sturgeon called it a time of 'division and rancour'. She added that while she respected legitimate concerns about women's spaces, the debate had been 'hijacked by voices on the far right'. 'The inconvenient truth', she argued, is that 'many of the most vocal deriders of trans rights, when the surface is scratched, turn out to be raging homophobes too. Some are also racists. And ironically ... more than a few are also deeply misogynist.' However, she said she would have changed her approach to the issue with hindsight, and that while she still believes in the gender recognition reforms, she wishes she had aimed for more of a consensus on the issue.
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
Scotland's deficit grows by £5.1bn, Gers figures show
Scotland's Finance Secretary has insisted the country's finances are 'sustainable' as figures showed spending levels were more than £26 billion higher than the amount raised in revenues. The latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) figures reported 'overall public finances in Scotland weakening, as expenditure grew faster than revenue'. For 2024-25, Scotland has a net fiscal deficit of minus £26.5 billion – an increase of £5.1 billion from the previous year – with this the representing minus 11.7% of the country's GDP. The UK deficit for 2024-25 was minus 5.1% of GDP, less than half the rate of Scotland. The Scottish Government report said the 'deterioration' between this year and last was in part linked to a fall in North Sea revenue, but it added: 'The difference is primarily explained by movements in non-North Sea revenue and spending, with Scottish revenue growing more slowly and Scottish expenditure growing more quickly than the UK.' Revenue in Scotland grew by 1.5% in 2024-25 to £91.4 billion. Spending increased to £117.6 billion in 2024-25, up from £111.4 billion in 2023-24. 'As a share of GDP, public spending remained at historically high levels in 2024,' the report noted. Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said the figures show Scots benefit from higher public spending than the UK average – with this £2,669 more per person north of the border. He said this 'means more money for schools, hospitals and policing, if the Scottish Parliament chooses to invest in those areas' – although he also claimed 'people in Scotland will rightly expect to see better outcomes' for these higher spending levels. Mr Murray said: 'These figures underline the collective economic strength of the United Kingdom and how Scotland benefits from the redistribution of wealth inside the UK. 'By sharing resources with each other across the UK, Scots benefit by £2,669 more per head in public spending than the UK average. 'It also means that devolved governments have the financial heft of the wider UK behind them when taking decisions.' Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison said decisions taken by ministers at Holyrood 'are helping support sustainable public finances'. She said: 'For the fourth year in a row, devolved revenues have grown faster than devolved expenditure. 'Scotland's public finances are better than many other parts of the UK, with the third highest revenue per person in the UK, behind only London and the South East.' She also stressed the Gers statistics reflect the current constitutional arrangements, with Scotland part of the UK and 'not an independent Scotland with its own policy, decisions on defence spending and the economy'. Ms Robison said: 'Gers allocates Scotland a population share of reserved UK spending rather than accounting for real expenditure. For example, UK defence expenditure is listed as £5.1 billion, but only £2.1 billion was actually spent with industry in Scotland in 2023-24. 'Being taken out of the EU, against the will of the people of Scotland, has also hit Scotland's revenues by £2.3 billion and the higher cost of UK Government debt adds £500 million to the deficit. 'Falling oil prices and a decrease in extraction present challenges going forward, but we are clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland's valued oil and gas sector, which recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments and energy security.'
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Relief' for motorists as average cost of insurance has fallen by £60 annually
The average cost of motor insurance premiums has fallen by £60 over the past year, according to figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). For the period April to June 2025, the average premium was £562 – down from £622 in the same quarter of 2024. Average premiums also fell by £19 compared with the first quarter of the year. The ABI said its members paid out £3.1 billion in car insurance claims during the second quarter of the year. It said repairs continue to be a major contributor to elevated claims costs. The increasing sophistication of vehicles, featuring complex electronics, advanced sensors, and integrated systems, has made repairs more intricate and time-consuming, the ABI said. It added that shortages of skilled technicians, slowing repair times, further inflates costs for insurers. The high cost of claims for theft has also played a role in the payouts, the ABI said. The average claim for theft of and from a vehicle increased by £319 compared with the previous quarter, reaching £11,800. Insurers settled 669,000 claims between April and June, 5% more than 639,000 settled in the first three months of the year. Mark Shepherd, head of general insurance policy at the ABI, said: 'It's encouraging to see motor premiums have fallen for a second consecutive quarter, offering some much-needed relief to drivers. 'But with the cost of cover still weighing on household finances, we must not lose momentum in tackling the persistent pressures driving up claims.' The ABI's research is based on nearly 28 million policies sold a year and is based on prices paid for cover rather than insurance quotes.
