Kingston Council will not be imposing a late-night charge on pubs, bars and off-licenses that serve alcohol after midnight.

The council's licensing committee decided last night that there was no need to introduce a "late night levy" on the borough, which would have seen premises supplying alcohol between midnight and 6am having to pay an additional fee to cover the cost of late night policing.

Committee chair Chrissie Hitchcock said councillors were put off by the fact the levy - which would have been applied across the borough - would be split 70/30 between the Mayor's Office of Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and Kingston Council.

How much of MOPAC's share went to police in Kingston was unclear, Coun Hitcock explained.

She said: "Our problem was we wouldn't get much of the 70 per cent from the police, and probably be left out of pocket by the administration of it.

"That would probably have had to fall on the residents through their council tax.

"We also thought it would be detrimental to businesses outside of the town centre.

"Pubs are already closing at a high rate, and for some communities, it really is their hub."