A PUB landlord hopes to extend the opening hours of his pub to boost business.

The owner of the Rising Sun Pub, on Whalley New Road, Blackburn wants to keep the pub open for an extra three hours every day of the week.

Sean Bolton and Janine Cocking, who both run the pub, put in the request as part of an application to Blackburn with Darwen Council’s licensing department last week to change the pub’s opening hours.

The Rising Pub, which has first built in the 19th Century, is currently open from 10am to 11.30pm Sundays to Thursdays and shuts on midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

The applicant proposes to extend the opening hours from 10am to 3am from Monday to Sunday.

Mr Bolton also proposes to maintain the sale of alcohol until 2.30am each day of the week.

Live and recorded music would be played until 2am on Friday and Saturday and midnight from Sunday to Thursday.

Mr Bolton, who has owned the pub with his partner since October 2014, said: “We are a small local community traditional pub that seems to be getting busier and busier every day.

“Residents want to stay in the pub later than they are entitled to at the moment and that’s the main reason for putting in this application.

“We are quite lucky. The pub is in a good location as there is not much residential around us.

“It is situated near a few shops and businesses which are actually closed and we are quite lucky to still be open in that sense."

Cllr Sylvia Liddle, who represents the area, said: "When we spoke to the residents they seemed to have no objections to the extension of opening hours with this pub.

"The police also said they haven't had to deal with any past problems.

"We would be concerned if there were problems about noise and late night music, particularly during the week, but I'm sure the planning committee will ask some relevant questions about that.

"From my point of view it's a case of seeing how it goes."

The consultation closes on December 5 and any person wishing to submit relevant representations to the application must give notice in writing to Licensing Unit Room 304, Floor 3, Old Town Hall, Blackburn.

Full details of the application are at www.blackburn.gov.uk/page/licence-applications-in-consultation.aspx.