COUNCIL chiefs have today criticised magistrates for being "out of touch" after they turned down an application from a Blackburn pub to serve drinks into the small hours.

The Borough Arms in the town centre was set to become the first pub in East Lancashire to open until 2am.

Blackburn with Darwen Council backed the move by granting an extension to the entertainments licence for the pub, only for magistrates to turn down the application.

Council leaders viewed the application as a further step towards achieving their ambition of transforming the town centre into a 24-hour centre for leisure and cultural activities.

Coun Mike Johnson, vice chairman of the public protection committee which granted the extension to the opening hours said: "There has been a steady increase in the number of bars in Blackburn opening later into the early hours during the last few years. "This move has the full support of the police and the council as it has helped to reduce the number of people leaving pubs and pouring out into the street at the same time which has helped reduce significantly the number of alcohol-related public order incidents in the town.

"We fully support the efforts of pubs which are extending their opening times to meet the changing needs of the borough and we do think the magistrates seem to be out of touch with public opinion in this instance."

Coun Andy Kay, chairman of the council's regeneration committee, said: "We want people to be able to use Blackburn town centre during their leisure time whenever that might be.

"Blackburn, as the capital of East Lancashire, attracts visitors from a wide area, particularly at the weekends and now on various evenings during the week."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.