SEAFRONT traders could be taken to court after refusing to pay membership levies to Southend BID, it has been revealed.

A number of businesses failed to pay the annual £455 membership levy during the Covid-19 pandemic, citing frustrations at cancelled events.

Now, Southend Council is taking legal action with one trader who failed to pay receiving court summons.

Traders pointed towards cancelled events during the pandemic, in firework displays and the Christmas lights switch-on, as reasons for their lack of payment.

However, the BID team have insisted it is a legal requirement to pay.

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Martin Richardson, the owner of the Happidrome Arcade, is set to appear in court on August 3 to answer his lack of payment.

He said: “We’re being asked to pay for a service we didn’t receive. The seafront relies on the fireworks, and they didn’t happen.

“If I had been asked to pay for a third of the fee, I would have done.

“We also pay for a BID rangers on the seafront, which we don’t see anymore.

“I’m not the only one who hasn’t paid either.”

Mr Richardson plays a senior role inside the BID and sits on the committee along with eight other business bosses.

Southend Council collect the BID levies on behalf of the business district and stressed the events were cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.

Paul Thompson, owner of the Pebbles One cafe, has refused to pay, but is yet to be summoned to court.

He added: “We’re already struggling financially because of the pandemic.

“We have to assess which bills are more important. I haven’t seen BID rangers on the seafront for 18 months.”

A spokesman for BID said: “Southend BID’s projects are funded by local businesses based on a levy. In any given year some businesses will pay their levies more promptly than others.

“It is a legal requirement for BID businesses to pay their levies. Clearly, the BID were unable to deliver events during the pandemic due to Government lockdown restrictions. The BID has continued to deliver appropriate services throughout the year.”

Paul Collins, councillor in charge of corporate services and performance delivery, added: “The authority can issue summonses for outstanding BID charges. The summonses issued recently include debts for 2020/21 and 2021/22.

“It is important to stress that many events were cancelled or postponed due to rising numbers of Covid-19, particularly over winter, on instructions by the Government. It was therefore not surprising that the BID needed to cancel many winter events.”