One of SW1’s favourite lunch spot is set to be clobbered by a massive rise in vendor pitch fees, going from £22 to between £39 and £44 depending on the day. That chicken gyros is about to burn an enormous hole in a wonk’s wallet…
Berwick Street in Soho faces the same rises, while new licences for non-food traders would jump from £96 to £964. The changes would come in from January.
The council says its markets run a £2.4 million deficit and would still lose around £1.6 million a year even after the increases. Tory councillors point out the government has cut Westminster’s funding by £100 million while keeping 97% of the business rates the borough raises. Until now, the council has deliberately charged traders less than the cost of cleaning up after the markets to back local businesses. Now they say it’s too much…
Keck said:
“Wonks, journalists and everyone else who cares about the burritos on Strutton Ground must unite with Westminster council against the government’s disgraceful cuts to our funding. The residents and businesses in Westminster contribute £8.8 billion to the economy, we deserve our fair share back.”
The cost of Labour…
Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked John Healey: “Just finally, I mean Andy Burnham has been very clear he wants Britain back in the European Union in his lifetime. Do you?”
The Chancellor replied: “I’m older than Andy Burnham. I don’t expect to see that.”