Tom Arnold
@tjarnold.bsky.social
Researcher at the Heseltine Institute, University of Liverpool. Regional development, infrastructure, planning, Leicester City FC, cricket and pictures of my dog.
Not sure I agree with government's preference for a percentage-based levy though. In the age of online booking and dynamic pricing this could add unneccessary complexity. A flat rate may seem less fair in theory but might be easier for visitors.
November 26, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Not sure I agree with government's preference for a percentage-based levy though. In the age of online booking and dynamic pricing this could add unneccessary complexity. A flat rate may seem less fair in theory but might be easier for visitors.
This is a significant difference from what many expected, particularly for postgraduate programmes. A full-time MSc Planning at Liverpool costs £28,000 for international students.
November 26, 2025 at 4:39 PM
This is a significant difference from what many expected, particularly for postgraduate programmes. A full-time MSc Planning at Liverpool costs £28,000 for international students.
I know - maybe it's a margins thing? Can't think of many drinks manufacturers that just increased prices in line with the sugar tax, which I find surprising. Irn Bru for example changed their recipe.
November 26, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I know - maybe it's a margins thing? Can't think of many drinks manufacturers that just increased prices in line with the sugar tax, which I find surprising. Irn Bru for example changed their recipe.
That was the thing that surprised me but in hindsight should have been obvious. I'd assumed you'd end up with a more expensive, sugary version and a sugar-tax compliant one. But clearly the economics of that don't stack up for producers so they just cut the sugar.
November 26, 2025 at 11:49 AM
That was the thing that surprised me but in hindsight should have been obvious. I'd assumed you'd end up with a more expensive, sugary version and a sugar-tax compliant one. But clearly the economics of that don't stack up for producers so they just cut the sugar.
Changes to the San Pelligrino Limonata recipe after the sugar tax was introduced briefly turned me into Ayn Rand.
November 26, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Changes to the San Pelligrino Limonata recipe after the sugar tax was introduced briefly turned me into Ayn Rand.
Probably a more sensible way of going about it than I had, which mostly involved me completely losing track of time and realising after a 3-0 away defeat at Walsall that it was 3am. I knew one lad at school who wore a suit and buttonhole when his team reached the FA Cup final.
November 26, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Probably a more sensible way of going about it than I had, which mostly involved me completely losing track of time and realising after a 3-0 away defeat at Walsall that it was 3am. I knew one lad at school who wore a suit and buttonhole when his team reached the FA Cup final.
The main thing I learnt after becoming dangerously addicted to CM and later FM was that I cannot be trusted with dopamine-inducing tech, which serves as a useful reminder to never download Tik Tok, own a games console etc. But I still fondly remember my all conquering Macclesfield team from FM06.
November 26, 2025 at 10:26 AM
The main thing I learnt after becoming dangerously addicted to CM and later FM was that I cannot be trusted with dopamine-inducing tech, which serves as a useful reminder to never download Tik Tok, own a games console etc. But I still fondly remember my all conquering Macclesfield team from FM06.
Think it’s great that Ben Houchen has ruled out introducing a tourist tax. You’d imagine visitor numbers are more price elastic in some places than others. Similarly the University of Manchester might see little effect from a 6% increase in international fees but for other HEIs it could tank demand.
November 25, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Think it’s great that Ben Houchen has ruled out introducing a tourist tax. You’d imagine visitor numbers are more price elastic in some places than others. Similarly the University of Manchester might see little effect from a 6% increase in international fees but for other HEIs it could tank demand.
Your question was why there appears to be widespread support for tourist taxes and opposition to the international levy. I’m suggesting it’s partly because with the tourist tax there is local discretion on whether to introduce it, while the student levy is a universal top-down imposition.
November 25, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Your question was why there appears to be widespread support for tourist taxes and opposition to the international levy. I’m suggesting it’s partly because with the tourist tax there is local discretion on whether to introduce it, while the student levy is a universal top-down imposition.
Mayors/Combined Authorities don’t have to introduce a tourism tax - they’re just being given powers to do so. Universities are being forced to add 6% onto international student fees and most don‘t want to.
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Mayors/Combined Authorities don’t have to introduce a tourism tax - they’re just being given powers to do so. Universities are being forced to add 6% onto international student fees and most don‘t want to.
Yeah I mean I wouldn’t start from here. But cost of living is the number one issue that will kill this or any other government, it’s already doing a bunch of things that work against its stated objectives on that front, and there’s a bigger battle ahead in figuring out how to tax EVs.
November 25, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Yeah I mean I wouldn’t start from here. But cost of living is the number one issue that will kill this or any other government, it’s already doing a bunch of things that work against its stated objectives on that front, and there’s a bigger battle ahead in figuring out how to tax EVs.
I think it was dumb to retain the cut last year but given how much other policies are contributing to inflation (minimum wage increase, employer NI, increase in business rates for supermarkets) plus imminent changes to taxing EVs it’s probably sensible to hold off any changes to fuel duty for now.
November 25, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I think it was dumb to retain the cut last year but given how much other policies are contributing to inflation (minimum wage increase, employer NI, increase in business rates for supermarkets) plus imminent changes to taxing EVs it’s probably sensible to hold off any changes to fuel duty for now.
Emerging evidence from the (geographically limited) Manchester room tax suggests it hasn't had a negative impact on visitor numbers www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti.... Evidence from big European cities finds similar. Visits to smaller cities/rural areas/resorts seem a little more price elastic.
Does an industry-promoted tourist tax per night affect hotel performance? Quasi-experimental evidence from Manchester
There is an ongoing debate about whether introducing a tourist tax deters tourism demand. Moreover, it remains unclear whether accommodation establish…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Emerging evidence from the (geographically limited) Manchester room tax suggests it hasn't had a negative impact on visitor numbers www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti.... Evidence from big European cities finds similar. Visits to smaller cities/rural areas/resorts seem a little more price elastic.
This is excellent knowledge for future pub chat, please tell me more! When and why did they disappear?
November 22, 2025 at 7:32 PM
This is excellent knowledge for future pub chat, please tell me more! When and why did they disappear?
Let’s have a bit of community wealth building and allow every city and town across this great nation to build their own Blackpool Tower.
November 22, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Let’s have a bit of community wealth building and allow every city and town across this great nation to build their own Blackpool Tower.
Losing Kante in summer 2016 was a blow but anticipated. The main issue was we then spent loads of money on absolute rubbish and Ranieri tried to shoehorn the new signings into an already very effective and tight knit unit.
November 22, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Losing Kante in summer 2016 was a blow but anticipated. The main issue was we then spent loads of money on absolute rubbish and Ranieri tried to shoehorn the new signings into an already very effective and tight knit unit.
I canvassed in that ward for GE2024. Similar to Altrincham, there are some really quite affluent middle aged people in lovely houses but rather than playing golf, driving a Jag and voting Tory as they would have done in the 90s they were doing pottery classes, riding nice bikes and voting Labour.
November 21, 2025 at 11:12 AM
I canvassed in that ward for GE2024. Similar to Altrincham, there are some really quite affluent middle aged people in lovely houses but rather than playing golf, driving a Jag and voting Tory as they would have done in the 90s they were doing pottery classes, riding nice bikes and voting Labour.
Very similar to when India played there last year so far.
November 21, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Very similar to when India played there last year so far.
Stages of realisation as I turned on the tv this morning:
1. Australia are batting 🤔
2. They are 1 down 👍
3. Was there a delayed start? 🤷🏻♂️
4. England have already batted 😭
1. Australia are batting 🤔
2. They are 1 down 👍
3. Was there a delayed start? 🤷🏻♂️
4. England have already batted 😭
November 21, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Stages of realisation as I turned on the tv this morning:
1. Australia are batting 🤔
2. They are 1 down 👍
3. Was there a delayed start? 🤷🏻♂️
4. England have already batted 😭
1. Australia are batting 🤔
2. They are 1 down 👍
3. Was there a delayed start? 🤷🏻♂️
4. England have already batted 😭
Feel like I’m watching Trans World Sport. Just needs a languid Bruce Hammal voiceover.
November 21, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Feel like I’m watching Trans World Sport. Just needs a languid Bruce Hammal voiceover.