Newcastle upon Tyne - Scraps Late Night Levy

Hospitality businesses in Newcastle are set to benefit from a significant financial boost after Newcastle City Council voted this week to abolish the city’s Late Night Levy, ending a scheme that collected more than £215,000 annually from venues trading after midnight.

Following the agreement of full council on Wednesday 7 October 2026 no new levy bills will be issued and the scheme will end on October 31 (though businesses with outstanding bills for the previous year will still be expected to pay them).

The levy, introduced in 2013, required licensed premises to contribute towards policing and a range of night-time economy services, including CCTV, street cleaning, taxi marshals, the Safe Haven van and staff welfare training. Over its 13-year lifespan, businesses contributed almost £3.5 million.

Council leaders concluded the levy had become outdated and placed an unfair burden on a relatively small number of venues at a time when pubs, bars and clubs are facing mounting financial pressures. The decision follows extensive consultation with the trade and wider public.

Cllr Colin Ferguson, leader of Newcastle City Council, said:

“The Late Night Levy was a measure introduced when the character of the city's nightlife was different to what it is today.”

“Now, at a time when our pubs, bars and clubs are under so much pressure, it is no longer fit for purpose, and places an unfair burden on a small number of licensed venues in the city.”

“I am therefore pleased that, in line with the wishes of the trade and public expressed during extensive consultations, we can revoke the Late Night Levy and give those who were paying some breathing room”

“However, our commitment to safety in the night-time economy remains as firm as ever. The positive work that the Levy supported will continue, and we believe that working with NE1, Northumbria Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, we can deliver ongoing, focused, and ultimately improved measures to support the safety of everyone, particularly women and girls.”

“We're committed to supporting the incredible hospitality offer Newcastle is famed for, and we will continue to lobby Government for new measures to solve pressures facing the sector and ensure our city can thrive.”