Brent Proposes Visitor Levy for Wembley Improvements

Brent Council in north-west London is proposing a mandatory visitor levy on overnight hotel and short-stay accommodations in the Wembley area to fund local infrastructure improvements. The initiative addresses issues caused by nearly three million annual visitors to Wembley Stadium, such as noise, congestion, waste, and strain on local services, despite the significant economic benefits of major events. The tax revenue would go toward enhanced waste enforcement, improved parks, street trees, and cleaning. Councillors cite Manchester and Edinburgh as UK cities where similar levies have been implemented successfully without discouraging tourism. Brent Council is seeking approval from central government and support from the London mayor for a possible voluntary stadium ticket tax to fund community projects. Studies indicate that most visitors support such levies, viewing them as a fair way to offset the real costs of tourism.