The Managing Director of Alfa Travel has welcomed news that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has declared void a ballot which led to the attempted introduction of a so-called “tourist tax” in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) was due to introduce a £2-per-night-per-visitor charge on eligible hotels on 1 July, 2024.
However, this was delayed in response to a group of 42 hoteliers launching an appeal to the government over the validity of the process.
After BCP ABID’s motion was passed in May by 16 votes to 15, the hoteliers claimed many of the 75 owners of eligible hotels were either unable to vote or unaware of the ballot. The group discovered yesterday that Secretary of State Angela Rayner had ruled in their favour.
Emma Russell, who is Managing Director of Alfa Leisureplex Group, which owned one affected hotel, and its constituent business Alfa Travel, was among those contesting the bid result.
As spokesperson for the group, she says: “We are pleased that, after consideration of the evidence submitted in relation to the BCP Accommodation BID appeal, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has declared the May 2024 ballot void.
“The Secretary of State confirmed that a material irregularity had occurred and, in their opinion, ‘It is likely the result of the BID ballot has been affected to a significant extent by persons entitled to vote being prevented from voting or hindered from doing so freely in accordance with their own opinion.’
“While we welcome the decision to declare the ballot void, it is disappointing that we were left with no choice but to undertake this costly and time consuming process.
“As we have said from the outset, we believe that hotels do have a key role to play in further supporting tourism in the local community. We understand the financial pressures on local government.
“It was clear from the beginning however, that the proposed accommodation levy had never gained the necessary support, and we look forward to proper stakeholder engagement from the ABID Board. We are keen to engage with the whole sector and find a way forward ensuring best use of public money.”
BCP ABID is considering its next steps but Ms Russell believes they will not pursue enforcing the levy as there is now greater awareness among the hoteliers who would need to vote on the matter.
The charge would have been levied on larger hotels with a rateable value of more than £40,000.
Ms Russell says the resulting cost on hotels would be crippling and that this would damage the tourist industry, as well as, indirectly, the coach sector.
Individuals from the coach tourism industry, including Robert Shaw, Chair of the Coach Tourism Association, have previously spoken out against the threatened introduction of “tourist taxes”.
