Berlin, Rome, Bruges and...Liverpool. The city brings in its tourist tax

Dear readers — welcome to your Monday briefing. After yesterday’s storming victory, we can only hope your heads aren’t too sore…

If you are feeling a little worse for wear, today’s action-packed edition might be able to distract you from those Monday scaries. We’ve got a surprising update about Labour North West, mysterious graffiti cropping up across town and a new tourism tax for the city.

But first — let’s catch up and see what’s coming up over the next few days.

Catch up and coming up:

• Over the weekend, Laurence published a piece on Cambridge don Eric Griffiths and whether his origins — that always left him feeling like “an outsider” — held him back from fulfilling his potential as “the cleverest man in England”.
• Abi published a deep dive into why the region’s glittering fleet of hydrogen buses, purchased for £10 million in 2022, may not have been the best investment. Read that here.
• And regular Post contributor Melissa Blease got plenty of you chatting in the comments with her piece on throwing the Ultimate Liverpudlian Dinner Party. Read that and let her know your own recipe for scouse here.
• Coming up this week, Abi will be looking into how the city spends — or doesn’t spend — its section 106 money: the additional funds allocated to areas when amenities and green spaces are built upon.
• We also have another brilliant piece from Laurence, exploring the future of Catholicism in Liverpool. 

The big story: Liverpool is introducing a “tourist tax”. But what does it mean for the city?

Top line: People taking an overnight trip to Liverpool will have to pay a “tourist tax”. But how much is it and what will it mean in practice?

Context: Liverpool regularly ranks in the top five most visited cities in the country, and last year topped a Which? poll to find the best big city break in the UK. The reasons for this — world-class museums, art galleries, landmarks and the city’s rich musical heritage — will be familiar to most readers. But the numbers throw this into sharp relief: around 60 million people visit the city region each year, which means a £6 billion annual visitor economy that employs more than 73,000 locals. 

What is it? To capitalise on this large and growing aspect of the region’s economy, people staying overnight in Liverpool will be charged a £2 levy, called the City Visitor Charge. Many European cities such as Brussels or Rome already employ a tourist tax, and in 2023 Manchester became the first UK city to introduce one. All these factors may have influenced a ballot by Accommodation BID, which represents over 80 hotels in Liverpool, when they voted in favour of the tax introduction. The charge will be taken by hotels and other accommodation providers, either when guests check in or when they leave.

How can it benefit the city? Manchester’s £1-per-night voluntary charge raised about £2.8 million in its first year. Accommodation BID believes this levy could raise nearly £10 million for Liverpool over the next two years. A little under £7 million of that would be reinvested directly into the visitor economy, helping to further develop visitor attractions and tourist infrastructure. 

Marcus Magee, chair of Accommodation BID, told the BBC it was "crucial to the vibrancy and economy of the city". Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID Company, which manages Accommodation BID, said “the evidence of other European cities suggests this model will translate overnight stays into major investment, so that we can convert that into world-leading and world-beating events."

When will it be introduced? The tourist tax will not come into effect until June, meaning that Liverpool fans visiting the city to celebrate the club’s title win or attend the victory parade on 26th May will avoid the £2 charge.

What are the risks? Although a 59% majority of the hotels represented by Accommodation BID voted for the City Visitor Charge, the turnout was only 53%, suggesting anything but unanimous approval: 18 companies, with a rateable value amounting to nearly £5 million, voted against the levy’s introduction. Some responders to the news on X worried that visitors may be deterred by an additional cost.

Bottom line: Many European cities that have a tourist levy charge more than the £2 Liverpool is introducing. In Amsterdam, tourists can be expected to pay €3 per person per night, while in Rome they may be charged up to €10 depending on the category of accommodation. In addition, a majority of museums, galleries and similar attractions on the continent charge visitors for entry, whereas Liverpool’s vaunted World Museum, Walker Art Gallery, and Tate (whenever it finally reopens) will not be. The visitors who spoke to Radio Merseyside seemed to think the £2 charge was “fair”, and the potential economic benefits implied by Manchester’s tax and Accommodation BID’s projections suggest the levy is worth a punt. 

What do you think about the tax? Let us know in the comments. 

Photo of the week

This bizarre graffiti has been leaving lots of you perplexed. While we’re not entirely sure who penned the wild accusation, some Redditers think artist Marc Quinn might have something to do with it. Quinn first gained recognition in 1991 for his sculpture Self, a life-size cast of his head made from his own frozen blood. He also had an exhibition at the Tate back in 2002. 

Not all of you are sold on this theory, though. “New Half Man Half Biscuit album title just dropped?” one user speculated. “Seems somebody should be more careful who they give their bone marrow out to…” another warned.

Know any more about this graffiti, or the mysterious Mark Quinn? Email editor@livpost.co.uk. 

Your Post briefing

On the grapevine: Labour North West’s regional director appears to be back in office after weeks of rumours he’d been suspended. In a WhatsApp group message seen by The Post, Anthony Lavelle said he would be spending the next week “getting up to speed” after his time off, adding that it was “good to be back”. Lavelle was appointed to the role back in July, after Liam Didsbury stood down from the position to “spend more time with his young family”. Didsbury has gone on to take up a number of other positions since then — juggling work at a PR firm with a directorship at a communications company he founded immediately after he resigned from Labour. Know any more about either of these stories? Email abi@livpost.co.uk. 

Liverpool are champions of England for the 20th time, drawing level with their rivals Manchester United in league title victories. The reds sealed the title with a 5-1 win at home over Tottenham Hotspur. The London visitors had briefly threatened to spoil the festival atmosphere around Anfield when they took the lead on 12 minutes through Dominic Solanke’s goal, but the home side struck back with goals from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. With six European Cups/Champions Leagues to their credit, twice that of their Mancunian foes, the win means Liverpool’s status as the country’s most successful club is now beyond question. The celebrations are expected to be euphoric and potentially rowdy: Liverpool also won the league five years ago after a three-decade wait, and even COVID restrictions could not confine supporters from flooding the area around Anfield and the city centre. Fans also shot flares at the Royal Liver Building, causing it to catch fire, and — as our staff writer Laurence recalls — one fan performed a “snow angel” in the accumulated takeaway boxes and assorted litter on Bold Street. Supporters, club officials and local authorities will not want a repeat of such scenes as Liverpool celebrate a well-earned Premier League title as the country’s best team. 

Everton fans still had a trick up their sleeve, though. In a photo taken by a fan after Liverpool’s 5-1 win, a Toffees fan was caught setting off a number of blue flares amongst the red smoke. See the playful sabotage below.

Nearly 90% of people opposed plans for Liverpool Council to charge for on-street parking until 11pm. Two years ago, the council conducted a consultation about the extension of paid parking hours, but have only just published the results. They show that nine out of ten people asked were against ending free parking after 6pm, which is the current rule across much of the city centre. In the consultation, residents raised concerns about the night-time economy, and the increased costs for night workers. Despite the overwhelming public opposition, a council report has since recommended the objections be overruled. A council meeting later this week will decide if new rules are implemented. 

Open newsroom:

All tips and information will be treated with the utmost sensitivity, and you can remain anonymous if you wish. For general tips and story suggestions, email editor@livpost.co.uk. 

• Know anything about the Temple of Light in Wallasey, or know someone who may be a member? Get in touch with Abi on abi@livpost.co.uk. 
• We’re working on a story about botched plastic surgery in Liverpool. Know a business that has given a friend bad filler, or lied about their qualifications? Email editor@livpost.co.uk. 

Post Picks

📽️On Tuesday, Future Yard in Birkenhead is hosting a live experimental music evening to soundtrack silent films. Tickets are £7 and the event starts at 7pm. Find out more here.

🫖On Thursday, enjoy an afternoon tea while seated in the newly refurbished Daffodil. The event is in support of two local charities: Nugent and The Bloom Appeal Merseyside Blood Cancer Charity. Find out more here.

🍽️If afternoon tea isn’t your thing, Khans is hosting their curry club on Thursday evening. It also raises money for a good cause — this time for suicide prevention in Merseyside. Details here.

🏺On Sunday, Bookbinder on Lark Lane is running another Claysips workshop. Each ticket gains access to a two-hour pottery session, materials and a drink of choice. Grab a ticket here.

Recommended reads

This is a great piece by the BBC celebrating the life of James Clarke — a dockworker in the 1800s who saved dozens of people from drowning. A talented athlete who came to Liverpool from South America when he was just 14, Clarke taught children how to swim and would regularly dive into the docks where he worked to save people from drowning. A mural celebrating him, commissioned by Mandela8 and painted by John Culshaw, will be unveiled in the city this week.