Trade body wants Liverpool 'tourist tax' pause during appeal
A trade body which represents the hospitality industry said a so-called "tourist tax" on hotel guests in Liverpool should not be levied while an appeal against the plan is being considered.The £2-per-room per-night charge was introduced on Sunday after it was approved in a ballot by hotels which are part of the city's Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID).The aim of the fee, which is officially known as a "visitor charge", is to raise money to support Liverpool's visitor economy.The scheme is facing a challenge from Whitbread plc, which owns the Premier Inn chain of hotels. Whitbread has not publicly revealed the reasons for its opposition to the charge.
Trade body UKHospitality said it had written to Liverpool's ABID to suggest the introduction of the charge be paused for eight weeks, pending the appeal outcome.A spokesperson said: "UKHospitality is clear that as these decisions are made, the ballot process must be fair, timely and transparent."We have been made aware of an appeal against the Liverpool Accommodation BID and we have therefore written to the BID with a suggested eight-week delay to its introduction to allow for the appeal to run its course."
'Not a tax'
Bill Addy, chief executive of the Liverpool BID Company, which manages the Accommodation BID, suggested using the phrase "tourist-tax" was not helpful. He said: "This is not a tax. Local authorities raise taxes, central government raises taxes. "This visitor charge is an industry-led effort to boost the visitor economy, to have a say in how the hospitality sector is supported, and tackle the challenges it faces. "This has been a process entirely guided by the private sector board of hoteliers – who are using Business Improvement District legislation to make a difference for their industry and their city."Mr Addy added: "It's in the very DNA of Business Improvement Districts to support business and make cities thrive, and this is at the heart of this. "It isn't a political issue, it's far more important than that." The government has told the BID there was no requirement to pause the collection of the levy while the appeal process is considered. Were the Secretary of State to declared the results of the earlier ballot void, money raised would be returned to everyone who paid it.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
17 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ministers ‘abusing' anti-terror laws against Palestine activists
Former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has said the Government is 'abusing' anti-terror laws against pro- Palestine activists as tens of thousands of protesters marched in London. A protest organised by groups under the Palestine Coalition banner marched to Whitehall from Russell Square in central London on Saturday afternoon. Organisers estimated that 350,000 people attended the protest, with those marching waving Palestinian flags and chanting 'free, free Palestine' and 'stop bombing Iran'. Many protesters chanted 'shame on you' as they walked past dozens of counter-protesters, organised by pro-Israeli group Stop The Hate, near Waterloo Bridge. The Metropolitan Police said a person was arrested after a bottle was thrown towards the counter-protesters. They added that 'a group appeared on Waterloo Bridge trying to block traffic' following the protest, with officers intervening to clear the road. The demonstrations come after reports on Friday that the Home Secretary will ban Palestine Action after the group vandalised two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Yvette Cooper has decided to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, after footage posted online showed two people inside the RAF base, with one appearing to spray paint into an aircraft's jet engine. Addressing crowds at the national march for Palestine in Whitehall, former SNP leader Mr Yousaf said: 'While we stand a stone's throw from Downing Street, let's make it clear to the Prime Minister: You try to intimidate us with your anti-terror laws by abusing them, but you'll never silence us as we speak out against the genocide that you're supporting. 'We're not the terrorists – the ones that are literally killing children, they are the terrorists.' A pro-Palestine protester said it was 'absolutely horrendous' that the Government is preparing to ban Palestine Action. Artist Hannah Woodhouse, 61, told the PA news agency: 'The Government, since yesterday, have said they're also going to start to try to proscribe peace activists who are trying to take action against the genocide – so Palestine Action are now being targeted by our Government, which is absolutely horrendous.' Ms Woodhouse, who is from London, added: 'Counter-terrorism measures, it seems, are being used against non-violent peace protesters. 'The peace activists are trying to do the Government's job, which is to disarm Israel. The duty of any government right now is to disarm a genocidal state.' Musician Paloma Faith told pro-Palestine campaigners that she would not 'stick to music and stay away from politics'. Speaking to crowds at the march, the songwriter, 43, added: 'Those who facilitate these crimes against humanity need to be made accountable, not those of us who are compassionate and humane enough to stand against it.' Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told protesters that politicians were seeking to 'turn people who protest against the invasion of Iran or the occupation of Palestine into terrorists'. Some protesters were carrying Iran flags, with others hoisting signs – distributed by the Islamic Human Rights Commission – that read 'choose the right side of history' alongside a photo of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Human rights group Liberty said banning Palestine Action 'would be a huge step change in how counter-terror laws are applied'. Sam Grant, its external affairs director, said in a statement: 'Targeting a protest group with terrorism powers in this way is a shocking escalation of the Government's crackdown on protest and we urge the Home Secretary to rethink. 'It's clear the actions of Palestine Action don't meet the Government's own proportionality test to be proscribed as a terrorist group, but the consequences for the group's supporters if ministers go ahead would be heavy – with things like wearing their logo carrying prison sentences. 'This move needs to be viewed in light of the sustained crackdowns on protest we have seen from successive governments over recent years, and the worrying fact that there are more and more non-violent protesters spending years in prison.' The Palestine Coalition is comprised of a number of different groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop The War.
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Kneecap Glastonbury slot ‘not appropriate', says Starmer
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think Kneecap's planned Glastonbury Festival performance is 'appropriate'. He made the comments after Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday, after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. In an interview with The Sun, Sir Keir was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' It comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week. Mrs Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' The Tory Leader of the Opposition has previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury, and last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after she tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister. Kneecap took aim at Mrs Badenoch in their latest single, The Recap, released just before their headline set at London's Wide Awake festival in May, with the song mocking the politician's attempts to block their arts funding and the Conservative Party's election loss. On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. During the proceedings, a prosecutor told the court the 27-year-old is 'well within his rights' to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, is a 'wholly different thing'. O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20. Following the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday. 'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. 'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.' The charge came following a counter-terrorism police investigation after the historical gig footage came to light, which also allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs. In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'. In an initial post in response to the charge, Kneecap said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction. 'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? 'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out. 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English and their merchandise. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival.'
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Heatwave hell as passengers are 'slow cooked' on stuck trains for hours amid 34C heat - as nation swelters on hottest day of the year
Terrified passengers today had to be freed from stuck Thameslink trains by transport police and were forced to walk down the tracks to safety in sizzling 34C heat. Enraged customers travelling on the services say they felt like they were being 'slow cooked' in 'an oven' as the services came to a halt with no air conditioning or ventilation. The frightening ordeal comes just days after experts predicted nearly 600 people in England and Wales could die as a result of this week's heatwave. Three trains were stopped due to faults, and a series of images shows one service heading south through London being evacuated on what is the hottest day of the year so far. One commuter wrote on social media: '[Thameslink] you will have hell to pay. We've been stuck on this hot and humid train for over an hour. 'The doors were closed because we were told we may be moving. That was 15 minutes ago. It's like an oven in here and we're being slow cooked.' The operator confirmed on a social media post that their services were facing issues, and have since apologised to the passengers who were affected. They first posted: 'Due to a fault on a train between London Blackfriars and Herne Hill, some lines are blocked. We're working to gather more information on this incident.' They later added that 'services across the network' were 'experiencing significant disruption'. Another passenger said they had been stuck on a 'rammed' service to Brighton between Elephant and Castle and Loughborough Junction which was a medical accident 'waiting to happen'. They also asked why there was 'no air con' or windows that could be opened on the service. In their instructions to stuck passengers, Thameslink posted on X that anyone stuck should not attempt to leave the train. They said: 'If you're stuck on a train which isn't moving, please remain where you are and don't make any attempt to leave the train unless instructed to.' Thameslink also replied to a post from a passenger who said he was stuck on a service between Blackfriars and East Croydon which had been 'over an hour with no AC'. Their reply read: 'Network Rail staff and emergency services are enroute to each train stuck between stations to evacuate and work on getting these moving.' A Thameslink spokesperson told MailOnline that they were 'truly sorry' to the passengers affected. They said: 'Earlier today, a fault on a train near Loughborough Junction brought all services to a halt in the area, three of them outside station platforms. 'Without power and air conditioning on such a hot day, we pulled all resources from across Sussex and Kent to get personnel on site to safely evacuate passengers as quickly as possible along the track. 'This would have been a difficult and uncomfortable experience for our passengers and we are truly sorry. With safety our top priority, the safest place was to remain on the trains while we worked our hardest to get help to those on board. 'There is engineering work taking place today, which means this is the only route Thameslink trains can take south out of London and severe disruption is expected for the rest of the afternoon. 'Anyone travelling south of London is currently advised to use Southern services from Victoria but you should check the latest travel advice at 'Passengers delayed by 15 minutes or more are also entitled to compensation, with details on our website.' A British Transport Police spokesperson added: 'Officers were called to Loughborough Junction Railway Station at just before 11am today (June 21) to reports of a train broken down nearby. 'Officers assisted Thameslink and Network Rail and all passengers have been evacuated safely.' The shocking footage has sparked concern as experts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London used decades of UK data to predict excess mortality during the hot temperatures from Thursday to Sunday. Their study, released on Saturday, forecasted that around 570 people could die due to the heat over the four days. The excess deaths were estimated to peak at 266 on Saturday when the heat will be at its most intense. London was predicted to have the greatest number of excess deaths with 129. The researchers said their assessment highlights how extreme heat poses a growing threat to public health in the UK. Today, Britain is as hot as the likes of Barbados and Corfu and is hotter than Barcelona and Lisbon. But forecasters at the Met Office warned that much of the UK could be soaked as soon as 5pm this evening as the humid aftermath of the heatwave looks set to result in a downpour. This week has already seen thermometers surpass 30C across much of the UK, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all recording their warmest days of the year on Friday. But forecasters at the Met Office warned that much of the UK could be soaked as soon as 5pm this evening as the humid aftermath of the heatwave looks set to result in a downpour (Pictured: Commuters squeeze onto a London Underground tube, June 21, 2025) That blistering heat has continued into today, which is the official end of spring, an occasion which was marked at Stonehenge this morning. Thousands of people watched the sunrise over the monument to celebrate the summer solstic e. Those who gathered for the spectacle in Wiltshire braved a warm start to the morning as they marked the year's longest day. Temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reached 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office. The weather bureau confirmed that Yeovilton in Somerset and Crosby in Merseyside recorded the highest overnight temperatures in England, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday. Towns in Cumbria and Lancashire also recorded temperatures above 19C. An amber heat-health alert for all regions in England remains in place for the weekend, but a warning for thunder has been issued. Spanning the north Midlands to Northumberland, including north-east Wales, downpours, hail, lightning and gusty winds are predicted from 5pm today until the early hours of tomorrow. The Met Office warned of 'sudden flooding' which could see communities 'cut off', transport disruption and power cuts. The hot weather is poised to linger in the South and East through the weekend. An amber heat health alert – to warn healthcare providers – lasts until Monday. Elsewhere, temperatures are set to fall from tomorrow to the high teens or low 20s. It follows a World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group study published on Friday which found the heatwave has been made around 100 times more likely and 2-4C hotter due to climate change. Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, lecturer at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, said: 'Heatwaves are silent killers - people who lose their lives in them typically have pre-existing health conditions and rarely have heat listed as a contributing cause of death. 'This real-time analysis reveals the hidden toll of heatwaves and we want it to help raise the alarm. 'Heatwaves are an underappreciated threat in the UK and they're becoming more dangerous with climate change.' An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. The Met Office confirmed that 'many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday. There will also be very high UV and pollen levels across the country on Saturday, the forecaster said. The amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday. It warns 'significant impacts are likely' across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions. Following the hot weather, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged the public to take heat and water safety seriously. During 2022's heatwave, temperatures rose past 40C, leading to 320 people being treated in hospital. Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: 'Heat is no longer just a holiday perk - it's a growing public health risk. 'We're seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities. 'Warm weather can also be deceptive when it comes to going for a dip. 'While the air may feel hot, water temperatures often remain dangerously cold, which can lead to cold-water shock, even in summer.'
