Only five out of 381 pubs which applied for late drinking hours have been turned down, despite thousands of objections from worried neighbours.

Just one pub in Brighton and Hove, the Preston Park Tavern, has been rejected due to concerns about noise and public nuisance.

The other four were rejected because they messed up their applications.

Residents are afraid about increased noise, crime and disturbance when the new licensing laws come into force in November.

Hundreds of pubs currently forced to close at 11pm will be allowed to open into the early hours, many of them playing music.

Brighton and Hove City Council received objections to 188 of the applications, with many attracting up to 20 letters of opposition.

Licensing panel chairwoman Jeanne Lepper said the new laws gave residents greater protection against nuisance pubs and asked people to wait and see.

And she vowed to take action against irresponsible landlords.

Coun Lepper, wife of Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper, said: "We have fairly Draconian powers over bad licensees and we will use them.

"If any rogue landlords out there think they will get away with disturbing their neighbours, I can assure them they will not. We will get them.

"It's true we have passed most applications and we have to have a very good reason to turn them down.

"But we have imposed conditions on many after hearing objections from neighbours. The licensees do not get carte blanche.

"I fully understand the concerns of many residents but the majority of publicans are reasonable and do not want to give any cause for complaints. The real test will be what happens when the new licences come into force on November 24.

"If pubs are causing a disturbance, residents must report them to us. Never before have residents had so much power to do something about badly-run pubs."

Bill Cowell, of Waterloo Street, Hove, spearheaded a residents' campaign against applications for late drinking hours at five pubs in his neighbourhood.

Dozens wrote letters of objection to the council's licensing panel but all five applications were granted.

One pub, The Iron Duke, was given a 3am licence.

Mr Cowell said: "I got the distinct impression that the council was there to rubber stamp these applications. The Robin Hood application had 20 letters of objection and the council still passed it.

"We were given lip service and we were listened to but I do not feel we affected their decision.

"It is a policy the Government wants to push through and I believe councils are instructed to err in favour of the licensee rather than the community."

Jonathan Byrne objected to an application for upmarket Western Road drinking club 73a to open until 2am at weekends, which was passed by councillors.

Mr Byrne, of Palmeira Square, said: "The panel gave me a hearing but it seemed all the emphasis was on me to prove it would be detrimental to my quality of life rather than the licensee to prove he needed to open longer hours."