MORE than 80 per cent of York's city centre bars could be without door staff over the Christmas period, it was revealed today.

Bosses at F1 Security, which employs 137 supervisors to watch over nightspots across York, said festive revelry could descend into violent chaos without professional cover.

Problems have arisen over the new Security Industry Authority (SIA) national door supervisors' licence, which door staff must obtain before December 13 when it becomes a criminal offence to work without one.

Darren Sholl, 35, an F1 director, said he could "guarantee" that none of his staff would have received the new badge by the deadline because of delays in processing applications.

PC Dave Boag, North Yorkshire Police licensing officer, said he was "extremely concerned" by the situation, but said door security firms must adhere to the law.

Doormen who work without the licence face fines of up to £5,000 or six months in prison.

Mr Sholl said: "We run over 80 per cent of the bars in the city centre, but none of our door staff will be ready by December 13." Mr Sholl has called on police licensing chiefs to give them a few months of grace for their applications to be processed.

This has been granted to doormen in the North-West who have also experienced delays in receiving the new badge. The compulsory three-year licence, which is being introduced region by region, is intended to banish the image of burly "bouncers" whose violent behaviour gave the industry a bad name.

"If the police want a trouble-free Christmas they will have to be more lenient," said Mr Sholl.

"Without door staff, the city will be a free-for-all for anybody wanting to cause trouble."

Mr Boag said it was not known whether doormen would be given more time to get their badges.

"There have been teething problems from day one with the new licence," he said.

"But the law is the law and door staff will not be able to work without a badge."

Andrew Veitch, 39, who works as a doorman in Malton and has more than ten years experience, said the increased cost of obtaining a new licence - nearly £500 - would deter people from taking up a job in the industry.

Updated: 10:02 Thursday, November 25, 2004