A POPULAR riverside pub in York is seeking to stay open every day until 1am.

The Lowther, in Cumberland Street, would be one of only a handful of venues in the city to keep serving into the early hours during midweek.

The pub is currently open until 1am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Manager Caroline Hickey said: "Our late opening has proved very popular on a weekend and we think there will be a big demand for doing it every day.

"Not everyone wants to go to a nightclub. The Lowther is less frenetic." Police licensing officer Dave Boag said late opening discouraged binge drinking as revellers were not rushing to finish by 11pm.

"Generally, late licensing hours are a good thing from a safety point of view because not everybody piles out of the pub at the same time." he said.

"It gives an alternative to the nightclubs."

Other York venues to successfully apply for a late drinks licence include Nexus, Merlins, Kennedy's and Reflex.

The Lowther's application will go before York magistrates' licensing session on November 13.

Updated: 11:08 Tuesday, October 21, 2003