Backlash over late drinking

Hundreds of landlords across Sussex are applying to open as late as 3am under new licensing laws due to come into force on November 24.

But the applications have sparked a backlash from homeowners who believe communities will suffer if drinking is allowed to go on into the early hours.

Neighbours of pubs in residential areas have written to the county's local authorities in their hundreds.

They fear existing problems of noise, crime and disturbance will get much worse.

Almost three-quarters of the 400 pubs, clubs, off-licences and supermarkets in Eastbourne have applied for later opening hours, drawing around 200 objections.

At one licensing meeting in Eastbourne neighbours complained of "wild discos, live music and karaoke" late into the night at The Drive in Victoria Drive.

Councillors nevertheless granted permission for the pub to stay open until 1am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Brian Jones, chairman of the Memorial Square Residents' Association in Eastbourne, said he was regularly woken up after closing time by groups of noisy drinkers.

He said pubgoers frequently urinated near or in his garden and could become aggressive when challenged.

He said: "I cannot believe that the Government has got it right and if you extend drinking hours people will drink more sensibly. They will just drink for longer and get more drunk."

About 90 of the 100 pubs in Lewes have applied for longer opening hours and a tenth of these applications have drawn objections.

At Hastings there have been 144 applications for later opening hours at the town's 321 pubs and councillors are to rule on 23 of the applications after people objected.

Mid Sussex District Council has granted longer opening hours to 105 pubs, supermarkets or off-licences out of about 400 licenced establishments.

Applicants for longer opening hours include the Priory Bar in Haywards Heath, The Crown in Turners Hill, The Lava Lounge in Burgess Hill and The Sportsman in East Grinstead.

About a fifth of the pubs in Worthing District Council's area have applied for later hours and there have been 28 objections.

So far 354 licensed premises in Brighton and Hove have applied for longer opening hours. Up to 40 per cent of them have prompted at least one objection from a member of the public.

Horsham District Council has received applications from The Rising Sun, Norfolk Arms and Dog and Duck, all in Horsham, the Bridge Inn in Upper Beeding, Steyning, and The White Lion in Thakeham, Pulborough.

The council has already allowed The Coach House in Horsham Road, Cowfold, to open an extra one and a half hours until 12.30am from Monday to Thursay and an extra two and a half hours until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays despite letters of objection from residents concerned about noise and anti-social behaviour.

The Queens Head in Chapel Road, Barns Green, Horsham, will be able to open an extra one and a half hours until 12.30am from Monday to Saturday - despite seven letters of objection from residents concerned about noise and anti-social behaviour.

Arun District Council has received 108 applications for changes to opening hours from 326 pubs, restaurants and off licences and 14 have led to objections.

Peter Boorman, of Whitehill Road, Crowborough, objected to his local pub, The Whitehill Tavern, being allowed to serve alcohol until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays but permission was granted.

He said there had been noise and vandalism after closing time. Car aerials were regularly damaged, wing mirrors were snapped off and hanging baskets were pulled down and thrown into peoples' gardens.

He said: "I don't think it makes any difference when the pub closes. If it closed at 7pm you'd still get rowdy drunks wandering around at 8pm."

Mr Boorman said the only way to fix the problem would be to get rid of restrictions on opening hours altogether.

Residents have scored a handful of notable successes in their fight against later openings.

Last week neighbours helped defeat a bid by private members' club The Last Resort, Worthing, to be classed as a pub and to open until 1am on Monday to Wednesday and 1.30am on Thursday to Saturday.

After residents handed in a petition, Worthing Council ruled it had to remain a private club and could only open half an hour later on Saturdays, at 11.30pm.

In Brighton and Hove, the applications have sparked a backlash from homeowners.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Ken Bodfish is encouraging residents of pubs in residential areas to object to the plans to open late into the night.

Neighbours of pubs in residential areas have written to the city council in their hundreds.

They fear their locals will be turned into late-night drinking dens and existing problems of noise, crime and disturbance will get much worse.

Action groups have been formed in Hove while applications in the Hanover area of Brighton have attracted dozens of complaints.

The Montpelier Inn, in Montpelier Place, Brighton, has applied to serve alcohol until 12.30am from Sunday to Wednesday and until 1.30am from Thursday to Saturday.

But many neighbours have complained drinkers at the pub are already a nuisance.

Bar manager Richard Plant said it was unlikely the troublemakers came from his pub.

He said: "We very rarely have trouble. I don't remember the last time we had any bother and customers are usually quiet when they leave. I think people realise it's a residential area."

But Dee Buller, of Borough Street, Brighton, said: "Customers reel out of the place and frequently create havoc tearing up flowers and plants in our attractive little street, not to mention creating noise with their horseplay and sometimes serious altercations.

"This will only get worse and last longer if the opening hours are extended.

Geraldine Davies, also of Borough Street, said: "There has been fighting, urinating in the street and people's gardens, damage to cars and noise at closing time.

"Late opening should only be granted in non-residential areas."

The Lord Nelson pub in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, wants to stay open until midnight from Sunday to Thursday and until 1am on Friday and Saturday.

The pub is in a residential part of North Laine and people living in houses backing on to the beer garden say the changes would be inappropriate.

A North Laine Community Association spokesman said: "We are extremely concerned about the number of North Laine pubs that are requesting longer and later hours.

"There are plenty of pubs in areas such as West Street or the seafront within a few minutes walks that would be more suitable for later opening hours."

Ten neighbours of the Dover Castle, in Southover Street, Hanover, Brighton, have objected that opening until 1am in the week and 2am at weekends will lead to public nuisance and noise.

Landlord Jeremy Martin said: "We have never had a problem with our neighbours and we do not plan to start now."

But neighbour Gavin McComb said: "On occasions I am woken when the pub closes and people are leaving.

"This does not affect me much at 11pm to 11.30pm but at 1am to 1.30am it will."

Bill Cowell, who is co-ordinating a campaign against extending opening hours at a handful of pubs in the Brunswick area of Hove, accused the council of being dismissive towards objectors.

He said: "They wrote back to say I did not live in the vicinity of two of the pubs I was complaining about but I live within 100 yards of both."

The city council's licensing panel is meeting weekly to get through the backlog of applications.

Pubs applying for extended hours which have so far attracted objections include the Royal Standard in Queens Road, Brighton, the Bedford Tavern in Western Street, Brighton, the No Name Bar, St James's Street, Brighton, the Sir Charles Napier in Southover Street, Brighton, the Cuthbert Hotel in Freshfield Road, Hove, the Duke of Wellington in Upper Gloucester Road, Brighton, the Evening Star in Surrey Street, Brighton, the Smugglers in Ship Street, Brighton, Heist in West Street, the New Venture Theatre in Bedford Place, the Connaught in Hove Street, Hove, The Iron Duke in Waterloo Street, Hove, The Robin Hood in Norfolk Place, Hove, The Old Market Arts Centre, The Juggler in Western Road, Hove, the Conqueror in Lower Market Street, Hove, and the Freshfield Inn in Freshfield Road, Brighton.