Letter: Night marshals - Bars should contribute

I am writing as a B&B owner and have friends all over the world who deal with similar lodging taxes. The cost is in altering all your accounting software to account for this revenue, accounting fees. How is it paid? Monthly, weekly quarterly etc.

Also there is B&B, Air BNB, hotels and self catering to consider. Also am I to pay VAT on this new fee as I pay it on turnover at 20 per cent, so will now pay tax on a tax.

I would also say in contradiction to a certain extent with Coun Cooper, we do already pay for the Christmas lights.

Accommodation Harrogate, the independent hotels, donate as an association and individually give. Destination Harrogate, the larger hotels, give a considerable amount and many of the self catering businesses such as Harrogate Holidays also are generous to this cause with their time and money.

I personally would like the bars, pubs and clubs to contribute to this ‘Night Marshal Fund’ as I feel they are the ones providing this alcohol and causing the problem in the first place.

I would also point out that it would be very difficult to police the largely unregulated sharing economy (as they are known) rental properties and feel this gives them yet another tax break over the legitimate, regulated, inspected and tax paying businesses – adding the burden of collection and payment of yet another service onto us.

Kimberley Wilson and

Simon Storer

The Camberley Bed and

Breakfast, Harrogate