HOME Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw is the toast of East Lancashire's licensed trade today after he gave marathon New Year drinking sessions the thumbs-up.

Landlords from across the area welcomed his decision to allow licensed premises to open from 11am on Millennium Eve to 11pm on Millennium Day and on subsequent New Years - despite the fact most will not open right through.

Geoff Sutcliffe, chairman of the Blackburn branch of the Licensed Victuallers' Association and landlord of the town's Manxman Hotel, said members were pleased even if they did not plan to stay open all night.

"It will give us more scope and make our business easier because it is hard getting everyone out at 1am when they want to carry on celebrating the New Year," he said.

"And while I doubt whether anyone will open the full 36 hours it does give landlords the right to choose when they shut.

"I imagine most will wind down by about 4am or 5am and reopen at lunch."

Les Harrison, a former chairman and member of the Burnley branch of the LVA and landlord of the Coal Clough pub, agreed: "My policy will be that while there are enough people in the bar wanting to be served I will stay open but the choice will be mine which is how it should be."

The 36-hour opening will be the longest since licensing laws were introduced during World War One to stop munitions workers being affected by drink while making weapons.

And landlords are hoping the latest move, which follows relaxed laws on all day drinking, will lead to further reforms.

Mr Sutcliffe, who will travel to London next week to discuss licensing laws with a parliamentary reform group, went on: "We would like to see later drinking on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until midnight with the possibility of opening later in the week too."

Lee Le Clerq, of the North West Brewers and Licensed Retailers' Association, agreed: "This decision gives businessmen the right to operate how they want and will let market forces prevail.

"We look forward to further reform following a similar idea."

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