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Pubs, clubs and off licences to share cost of anti-social behaviour

Pubs, clubs and off licences in Stafford will be made to share the cost of dealing with antisocial behaviour under a planned drive to improve the town's night-time economy.

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The night time levy would be imposed on licence holders which serve alcohol after midnight in a bid to recoup the cash spent on the presence of more people in the town in the early hours.

Stafford Borough Council has detailed the move in a draft of its new licensing policy which will be implemented next year.

It comes as the council looks to attract interest to its new Riverside development which will include restaurants and a multi-screen cinema expected to pull in punters on the night.

The draft licensing policy states: "The Late Night Levy allows the Council to charge an additional fee to any licensed premises that has a licence for the sale of alcohol between 24:00 and up to 06:00 in order to cover the additional costs associated with late night alcohol trading.

"Legislation allows the prescribed time to start from midnight but it is up to the council to decide when they wish to apply it.

The extra fees could also be charged to cover costs associated with tackling an increase in litter.

Council spokesman Will Conaghan said the levy would only be applied to a licence-holder following a full consultation.

The draft policy also includes the power to impose an Early Morning Restriction Order on a premises, banning the sale of alcohol between midnight and 6am.

Commenting on the licensing document, environment and health chief Councillor Frank Finlay, said: "Prosperity, safety, and health and wellbeing are top priorities for our borough.

"This policy illustrates how the council's licensing service will put these priorities at the heart of its work.

"We want to encourage businesses to come to our borough.

"We want to give them clear advice and help so they know what their responsibilities are.

"And we want to make sure that all businesses, new or established, maintain the standards required of them by law.

"In doing this we can help businesses flourish while protecting our residents and visitors to the borough."

On the proposed night time levy, Daniel Bholah, assistant manager at Casa Stafford, said: "It shouldn't affect us too much.

"There's not going to be a rise in anti-social behaviour.

"We're constantly striving to reduce the amount of drunken behaviour out side and we're constantly making adjustments to our own internal processes in order to that."

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