NIGHT owls could soon be able to drink and dance until 4am.

Bosses want to open the doors of York nightspots Toffs, Nexus and McMillans for an extra two hours.

Police said they have no problem with a bid by Toffs nightclub, in Toft Green, to open until 3.30am, plus half an hour to drink up, every day.

They said to allow some venues to open much later was "in the spirit of the Licensing Act" and would allow drinkers to disperse.

Only one formal objection, concerning opening during sporting events, has been made so far by a resident.

It could also mean that nearby Nexus and McMillans, in George Hudson Street, will find less resistance to their bid to open until 4am at weekends.

Meanwhile Ziggy's nightclub, in Micklegate, has asked to retain its 2am licence, while bosses at The Gallery, in Clifford Street, have not yet submitted a bid.

The later nightclub hours are expected to become part of the city's transformed drinking landscape.

Dozens of pubs and bars already want to take advantage of extra hours, but most will open until 1am at the latest when the Act comes into force on November 24.

PC David Boag, York licensing officer, said: "The spirit of the Licensing Act is to encourage steady dispersal.

"We're conscious of crime and disorder. If we do see an increase we can apply for licences to be reviewed.

"When the extra hours come into force people will vote with their feet about whether they want to take advantage of them or not."

Peter Brownsword, Nexus manager, said a multi-million pound planning bid to double the club's capacity was still being considered.

He said: "We don't expect to open until 4am. Late night is not our core business. Often by 2am we are half empty. By 3am we expect to only have a quarter of people left."

He said the extra time would allow customers to leave comfortably and safely when they want to, instead of the traditional 2am rush, as everyone leaves at once.

A spokeswoman for Luminar Leisure, which runs Toffs and The Gallery, said both venues were operated to the highest of standards.

She said: "We have in place stringent dispersal policies and work closely with our neighbours to minimize and reduce the impact upon them."

THESE are the bids so far for extra hours by York's nightclubs:

Toffs, in Toft Green, has applied to open from 11am to 3.30am, with 30 minutes drinking up time, seven days a week

Nexus and McMillans, in George Hudson Street, have applied to open until 2am from Sunday to Thursday, and 4am on Friday and Saturday

Ziggy's, in Micklegate, has applied to retain its existing 2am licence, with no extra hours.

The Gallery, in Clifford Street, has not yet submitted its new licensing application.

Updated: 09:28 Saturday, July 09, 2005