Licence costs for pub and club owners, market traders, taxi drivers and outdoor event organisers are set to rise.

So too is the cost of operating for cinemas, riding schools, tattooists, pet shops and dog breeders.

South Lakeland District Council's licensing committee gave the go-ahead to a range of proposed increases in licence fees on Tuesday.

However, the fees for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles are subject to further consultation.

The increase follows SLDC taking responsibility for a host of new licences as part of the Licensing Act 2003 which sees the old system of magistrates dealing with liquor licensing dispensed with.

It means the authority has to take on three new members of staff to cope with an expected surge in its workload.

But the Act does mean that some premises holding certain entertainments are exempt from payment, such as church halls.

In agenda papers before members, Steve Wearing, principal licensing officer for SLDC, said that on average, vehicle licence fees were going up around 6.2 per cent, taxi operators' licences up around three per cent and the same rise for public entertainment fees for theatres and cinemas.

Miscellaneous licences for organisations such as riding schools, pubs and ear-piercing registration were expected to rise on average by three per cent, he said.

For example, a pub licence rises £3 to £48, the licence for acupuncturists, tattoist or electroylsis goes up £5 to £100, and the cost of one for a riding school rises the same but to £135, including vet fees.

It is proposed that a three-year licence for drivers of hackney carriage and private hire goes up from £142 to £146. It is planned that four-month licences will cost £97 in future, a rise of £6, and a six-month licence goes up to £8 from £115.

Private hire operators face paying £8 more for a three-year licence which rises to £264.

Mr Wearing said the increase in vehicle licence fees was to counter the extra £4 charged to the council by garages to inspect vehicles, which has risen to £45.

The introduction of the act will also mean the licensing committee will take on new members so a training course has been arranged for July.