Brent Council is moving forward with plans to introduce a new “ticket tax” and a visitor levy aimed at those attending events at Wembley Stadium and Arena. The initiative seeks to generate additional revenue to fund local improvements and alleviate the pressures brought by the borough’s growing event scene. With headline acts such as Coldplay and Oasis performing this summer, the council is looking to leverage the influx of visitors to ensure the benefits extend beyond the venues and into the community.

Council Leader Cllr Muhammed Butt has formally written to the government, urging it to grant the council the legal powers necessary to impose a “fair and modest discretionary charge” on both overnight hotel stays and event ticket sales. He emphasises the need to work alongside the Greater London Authority and other boroughs to explore the feasibility of these levies. The objective is to support grassroots music and cultural institutions that underpin the wider creative economy, contributing to the cultivation of future talent that will fill stadiums and arenas across the country.

This push reflects concerns among residents who report that they “do not see a proportionate share of the benefits from Wembley’s success.” The council highlights a “critical funding gap” in meeting the costs associated with hosting major events while maintaining local services and quality of life for residents. The increased number of events, while a cause for celebration, also exacerbates challenges such as noise, congestion, waste management, public safety, and environmental enforcement.

Unlike many European counterparts, where tourist taxes are commonly implemented to fund local services, the legal framework in England does not currently allow councils or central government to impose such levies directly. A potential workaround involves establishing an Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), a model utilised in cities like Manchester and Liverpool, but this requires a business referendum and targets business rate payers rather than visitors. Brent’s request for “further devolution of fiscal powers” represents a broader call for new legislation that would empower local authorities to capture more income generated by tourism and large-scale events.

The council proposes that this locally collected, ring-fenced visitor levy would be a “fair and progressive” means of ensuring that tourism and high-footfall events sustainably contribute to the communities hosting them. Funds raised through this levy would be earmarked for environmental improvements and enhancing public services, addressing the increased strain on local infrastructure caused by the influx of visitors.

Should the government approve these measures, attendees at Wembley could see higher costs for tickets and accommodation, but the council argues this approach makes economic sense for the borough. It aligns with Brent’s broader strategy to reinvest locally generated revenue into community benefit, ensuring residents share in the economic and cultural vitality that major events bring.

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Source: Noah Wire Services