Tourist tax planned by Wembley's local council

A north London council could introduce a new tax on some visitors staying overnight in the borough to help fund improvements to the area.

Wembley Stadium in the borough attracted nearly three million people last year, with acts including Oasis and Coldplay set to perform this summer.

Brent Council said a levy would turn the high visitor numbers into "a vital new source of funding" to be used to tackle challenges caused by the area's success as a cultural destination.

The motion to introduce a mandatory visitor levy on hotel and short-stay accommodation - was proposed at a council meeting on Monday, where the next step - of getting permission to impose the fee - was agreed.

Brent Council is exploring ways of ensuring "the benefit of our world class events are felt by all residents", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The influx of visitors brings economic benefits, with each non-sporting event at the Wembley Stadium boosting the local economy by around £4.35m.

However, it also negatively impacts on residents through increased noise, congestion, waste and pressure on council services.

Brent Council's Mary Mitchell said London boroughs should follow the proven model already in place in cities across the UK and Europe.

She suggested the money raised could fund street trees, waste enforcement, enhanced cleaning and improvements to parks and green spaces.

The LDRS said the council will write to the relevant secretary of state requesting powers to introduce the levy.

It will also write to the mayor of London asking for his support for a voluntary levy on stadium and arena tickets to fund grassroots cultural opportunities.

According to the LDRS, Manchester's £1 a night additional charge on hotel stays has raised £2.8m in its first year, while Edinburgh's 5% addition to accommodation costs is projected to bring in around £50m per year.

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