Cumbria Mayoral Candidates Clash Over Proposed Visitor Levy

Mayoral candidates for the newly formed Cumbria Combined Authority are divided over a proposed overnight visitor levy. During a debate at the Low Wood Bay Resort in Windermere, candidates met with the Lake District Hotels Association to discuss the tax, which is part of devolution plans to shift power from Westminster to local leaders.

David Allen, the Labour candidate, and Liberal Democrat candidate Libby Bateman both support the levy. The tax would charge a percentage of accommodation costs to fund public transport, tourism events, and town centers. However, Bateman argues that a uniform county-wide approach would fail because of differing regional needs.

Conservative candidate Mike Starkie opposes the tax, arguing that Cumbria would suffer more negative impacts than larger cities. The Government of the United Kingdom maintains that the levy will align England with other nations and benefit tourism hotspots by reinvesting in local communities. Cumbria will hold its first mayoral election in May 2027.