'Cafe tax' proposal for al-fresco tables in Central Bedfordshire could be scrapped
A £350 local authority charge dubbed a ‘cafe tax’ by Liberal Democrats in Central Bedfordshire could be shelved at a meeting next week.
Some local authorities impose a fee for putting chairs and tables outside cafes and similar premises.
Independent-run Central Bedfordshire Council has been exploring the idea, which is opposed by small business owners and a vociferous section of its own councillors. The issue has been debated at different council committees.
CBC’s licensing committee voted to recommend to full council on Thursday (September 25) that no licence charges are imposed for chairs and tables outside cafes, with four votes in favour and two abstentions.
In a social media post, Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Victoria Harvey wrote: “The benefit to the council would be £14,500.
“This is a small price in a budget of £287m to support town centres. The small tables outside Cafe Sorelli, Cittadina Coffee, Happydashery, Wilde Flower Boutique and Costa Coffee make such a positive difference to the High Street, making it friendly and welcoming.
“I warned about the importance of the High Street and how lonely many elderly people are locally. We need to have a vision for the future to make town centres a place where everyone can meet up and socialise.”
Independent Potton councillor Tracey Wye has said previously that coffee shops should be able to afford paying this charge to have one or two tables outside their shops. She brought a report to the licensing committee, earlier this month.
At a full council meeting in July, Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion called for such charges to be paused and reviewed by opposition councillors, ahead of the licensing committee meeting.
“It’s already hard enough for high streets competing with retail giant Amazon,” he warned in a social media post.
Responding to one of his social media posts, councillor Wye noted the concerns are being raised after “full council agreed the fee in last year‘s budget for 2024/25, without comment or query from any member in any of the multiple scrutiny committee meetings”.
Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade South councillor Chris Leaman submitted a motion against the charge to a CBC Leighton-Linslade partnership committee meeting last month.
His motion warned “the £350 annual charge is a significant sum for many hospitality businesses”, and asked the committee “to write to CBC’s executive member for sustainability and climate resilience (councillor Wye) objecting to it, and wanting this reversed and dropped for future years”.
Councillor Leaman proposed a recommendation to CBC’s corporate resources overview and scrutiny committee that the plans for the ‘cafe tax’ be scrapped, backed by a cross-party group of councillors.
“CBC heard about the devastating effects of National Insurance rises and changes to business rate relief on the local hospitality industry, only a few months ago,” he added.
“Now the Independent administration, which expressed such sympathy at the time, is planning to introduce this punishing ‘cafe tax’ a few weeks later.
“Outdoor cafe space is such a vital part of our already struggling High Street. CBC should be doing everything it can to support local businesses, rather than clobbering them further.”