Tourism tax 'not right answer', warns town council

Tourists spent around £200m in Weston-super-Mare last year

A tourism tax is not the "right answer" for Weston-super-Mare, the council has warned, amid calls from some in the town for action against tourists.

The north Somerset town made its name as a Victorian seaside resort and tourism remains a major part of the economy.

People who volunteer to pick litter on the beach have called for tourists to have to pay a tax to mitigate the negative impacts of tourism.

Sophie Newton runs the Sophie's Super Litter Picking Group and said they spent more than two and a half hours filling 18 bags with rubbish from the beach on 29 July.

Litter can be an issue on Weston-super-Mare's beach

She said: "More people means more rubbish.

"As a seaside town, we simply aren't ever prepared for the influx of visitors and unfortunately, we very much cannot afford the extra provisions required from our council tax alone."

Councils do not have the power to impose tourist taxes but they have been effectively introduced in Liverpool and Manchester through a workaround.

Nearby Bath, a major tourist destination, has repeatedly floated the idea of a tourist tax.

Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, said tourism tax is "not the answer"

But Mike Bell, the leader of North Somerset Council and local councillor for Weston-super-Mare central said he did not think it was the right answer for the town.

He said: “I don’t personally believe that a tourist tax is the right answer.

"Whilst it might generate some additional revenue, it will also add to the cost of holidaying in Weston-super-Mare."

Mr Bell added there were about 4.2 million day visits to Weston last year and 175,000 staying visitor trips where people stayed longer than one day. The total visitor spend was nearly £200 million.

He said: "This year we've put extra resources into seafront litter collections and are increasing signage and messaging to encourage visitors to 'leave only footprints'.

"Where appropriate we take enforcement action against those who litter too."

Weston-super-Mare's beach and seaside attractions such as the Grand Pier are major drivers of tourism in the town.

North Somerset Council is currently working on bringing Birnbeck Pier back to life after receiving funding from the Levelling Up Fund and other sources to restore the derelict structure.