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Patsy McGlone
8th October 2009
MCGLONE: CONCERN OVER
ENTERTAINMENT LICENCE FEE HIKE
SDLP
Mid-Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone has expressed his concern to the Environment
Minister about the recent hike in entertainment licences fees and proposals
by the DOE to increase these fees further.
Mr McGlone said: “The entertainment industry faces difficult times in this
economic crisis as all businesses do and any increase in their running costs
at this time must be carefully considered.
“Given that the fees have remained static for some time, a rise in the
entertainment licence fee was inevitable. But to increase those costs by
over 100% at the lowest level and by over 500% at the highest level is
likely to cause very real difficulties for the businesses involved.
“On top of this massive hike in the licence fee, the department is already
signalling that it intends to increase the fees further in order to double
the income generated for local Councils.
“The Minister may have consulted on this, but these increases in costs for
the entertainment industry are ill-timed and ill-considered.
“I had asked the previous minister, Sammy Wilson, not to make such drastic
rises, but he ignored the needs of these small businesses. I have written to
the current Minister to ask him to look at reducing these, and I hope he
will have more empathy with our struggling small businesses.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The entertainment licence fee hike, which covers theatrical performances,
dancing, singing or music or any other entertainment of a like kind, as well
as some indoor sports events, came into effect on 1st September 2009.
The maximum fee payable for indoor entertainment under the previous system
was £160 whereas the maximum fee now is £1000.
ENDS
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