Stealth Taxes...
Discussion
Just finished taking our weekly beer delivery about an hour ago. While the draymen were unloading, along comes Johnny parking warden and gives them a ticket. I always give them the heads up but they've been told by their employer (probably rightly so) to just ignore the wardens and take the ticket. I always make sure the guys get a cup of coffee when they're done so whilst we were chatting about the general state of the pub trade and the fact that their tunnage is down massively, we got on the topic of parking fines. The driver reckoned that they average about £3-4,000 a month in parking fines, all of which are paid without dispute and then passed on to the customers. In fact, he said that is one of the reasons that the cost of a barrell has gone up so much.
As far as I'm concerned this is nothing less than a stealth tax. There is no loading zone at our pub, so the draymen park up directly out front and about 40 feet from the hatch to the cellar. Takes them about an hour to unload and clear out the empties (we do a decent volume of beer). There isn't really any other choice, as the nearest possible parking spots are about 300 feet away and they are rarely free for parking. Even if they were they would necessitate rolling the barrels part of the way down the street, and would probably destroy the pavement at an excessive cost to the council. I would go so far as to say that unless they park up directly in front of pub as they do, it would be as near as impossible for them to complete our delivery. Despite the fact that they make an effort to arrive before the wardens come on shift at 7am, I would say on average that they are ticketed 3/4 of the time. At a £45.00 fine which is theoretically being incorporated into the price of our delivery, that works out to £1755.00 which we are paying every year to the council in parking fines.
As far as I'm concerned this is nothing less than a stealth tax. There is no loading zone at our pub, so the draymen park up directly out front and about 40 feet from the hatch to the cellar. Takes them about an hour to unload and clear out the empties (we do a decent volume of beer). There isn't really any other choice, as the nearest possible parking spots are about 300 feet away and they are rarely free for parking. Even if they were they would necessitate rolling the barrels part of the way down the street, and would probably destroy the pavement at an excessive cost to the council. I would go so far as to say that unless they park up directly in front of pub as they do, it would be as near as impossible for them to complete our delivery. Despite the fact that they make an effort to arrive before the wardens come on shift at 7am, I would say on average that they are ticketed 3/4 of the time. At a £45.00 fine which is theoretically being incorporated into the price of our delivery, that works out to £1755.00 which we are paying every year to the council in parking fines.
Simply put, as you state, it is a stealth tax.
Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government.
Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government.
Puggit said:
Simply put, as you state, it is a stealth tax.
Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government and a ridiculous pensions bill.
EFA?Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government and a ridiculous pensions bill.
Puggit said:
Simply put, as you state, it is a stealth tax.
Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government.
The thing is (and not that it affects me anyway, I don't own the business) I wouldn't really have a problem with the business being taxed by that amount more on an annual basis. It just really irks me that they do it through devious means. I suppose all it means is that central government can claim that there is a lower tax burden on businesses than actually exists in practise.Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government.
Asterix said:
Puggit said:
Simply put, as you state, it is a stealth tax.
Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government and a ridiculous pensions bill.
EFA?Gordon Brown has removed massive amounts of central funding from local councils, and the councils have to make up the shortfall. Parking revenue (both fines and standard parking charges) are one of the key ways to make up some of this shortfall.
My father is a Tory councillor on a Tory local council, and they are in deep problems. Services will be cut next year, due to even less funding coming out from central government and a ridiculous pensions bill.
mcflurry said:
I reckon the Brewery appeal most of them as deliveries are allowed for a short time, then pass on the others to the landlords, who in turn add 10p a beer onto the bottom line...
End result is the customers pay, so nothing new there...
To the point where it becomes too expensive, the pub shuts down, and the Brewery no longer need to deliver there, thus saving on the parking fines.....End result is the customers pay, so nothing new there...
Have you, or the drivers, ever spoke to the wardens?
The "Park on double yellows, block the road, but it's ok I've got my hazards on" croud really do piss me off if I'm honest, however the majority of these are people legging it to the cash point/pint of milk/post a letter/deliver a parcel etc, NOT delivering heavy products like barrels.
The "Park on double yellows, block the road, but it's ok I've got my hazards on" croud really do piss me off if I'm honest, however the majority of these are people legging it to the cash point/pint of milk/post a letter/deliver a parcel etc, NOT delivering heavy products like barrels.
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