BARS and clubs in Oxford could soon be charged for serving alcohol after midnight.

In 2012, councils across the UK were given the chance to introduce a “late-night levy”, but the city council had decided against it.

That was because the police would receive 70 per cent of the money while local authorities would only get 30 per cent, which the council had said represented a bad deal.

But it has emerged that Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfeld has since offered to all councils in the area that they could keep all the money, estimated at £100,000 a year.

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Last night city councillor Dee Sinclair, the executive board member for crime and community response, asked the authority at the full council meeting if it now would reconsider the decision.

She said: “In light of the PCC’s offer I think it is worth looking at it.

“There are pros and there are cons but we thought we would look at it rather than just dismiss it.”

Responding, Councillor Craig Simmons said the council was “commissioning a review of the options that will help the council establish the optimum course of action”.

He said it was important to consider a number of issues, including that alcohol- related crime and disorder was falling in the city.

Pubs, nightclubs, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol between midnight and 6am would all be charged as part of the levy.

If adopted by local authorities, the charge would be based on the rateable value of the premises and the type of business it was running, starting from £299 for the lowest band to £4,440 for the highest.

Mr Stansfeld welcolmed the news of a rethink.

He said: “I am very pleased that they are having a serious look at this.

“One of the biggest costs to policing is dealing with late night problems.

“The more we can reduce it the easier it is for officers to get on with other things like catching burglars.”

But Altin Klejmendi, the general manager at Maxwell’s bar on Queen Street, said the levy would hit business.

The bar is open until 3am on Friday and Saturday evenings, and Mr Klejmendi said: “If they bring this in I’ll be annoyed, we’re a business. We’re trying to make money, not spend it.

“I already have a licence. The council have to have a reason to charge this. Why are they doing this?”


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