Bars snub 24-hour licences

An expected rush by pubs and clubs to take advantage of longer licensing hours has failed to materialise.

Only two bars in London have applied for extensions and none has sought 24-hour opening, an Evening Standard study reveals today. Town hall chiefs expected a flurry of applications after the Government's controversial Licensing Act took effect on 7 February. Pub owners must declare by August whether they want to open 24 hours a day, extend their current-hours or stay as they are. Councillors, who have the final say on licences, have been taken aback by the slow response.

Westminster councillor Audrey Lewis, cabinet member for licensing-said: "It would seem that the Government's regulations are so prescriptive that licensees are finding it difficult."

Merton's head of planning, Steve Clark, said: "We were expecting most licensees to apply from the first appointed day. We are surprised that this has not been the case."

Industry leaders said publicans might be waiting to see what hours their rivals choose.

The only applications for late opening so far have come from two bars, one in Battersea called Dusk and the other in Croydon. One 24-hour opening application has been lodged - by an off-licence in Southwark.

Labour promised longer opening hours in its last election manifesto but the Licensing Act sparked a political row with police, council leaders and the Tories warning that it could increase drunken violence.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell insisted that it would bring a relaxed Continental-style drinking culture to British high streets. However, research has shown that most pubs intend to stick to the traditional 11pm closing time.

A Standard poll found that four out of five pubs had no plans to extend their opening hours. Managers said it would be too expensive to pay staff to work longer hours.

Under the Government's reforms, publicans must switch to new-style personal and premises licences by 6 August or face having to apply again from scratch.

Those that fail to obtain new style licences, whether or not they want extended hours, will have to cease trading by 7 November. But some councils fear the message has not got through.