Revellers can now celebrate the coming of the New Year with a bop, after politicians cleared away antiquated legislation in time for this Sunday's festivities.

Peers celebrated rising for the Christmas recess by passing what a junior Home Office minister called the "boogie on down bop till you drop" order in the Lords.

New Year's Eve partygoers will have their lordships to thank for clearing away an ancient piece of legislation enabling public events involving dancing to go ahead.

Junior Home Office minister Lord Bassam of Brighton said it was appropriate that the last piece of legislation of the Millennium year from the House of Lords should add to the festivities.

The Deregulation (Sunday Dancing) Order 2000 removes provisions of the Sunday Observance Act 1780 prohibiting dancing on Sundays. Lord Bassam said everyone would be able to dance on New Year's Eve whether it was the last waltz or boogieing to the latest dance.

Clubs in York had been looking for ways round the law - by charging a nominal "membership fee".

Ziggy's, in Micklegate, is to close anyway on the night. Manager Steve Rogers said: "It is not worth us opening. We are a business not a charity and, with the high staff wages we have to pay and the extra licences we'd need, it isn't worth it."

A spokesman for Luminar Leisure, representing York's other three clubs - Toffs, the Gallery and ikon/Diva - was unavailable for comment."