Pubs are to be allowed to stay open around the clock under the biggest shake-up in licensing laws since the First World War.

John Grogan: pubs could apply to stay open all night

Home Secretary Jack Straw was expected today to call time on the traditional 11pm closure that leads to drunken customers spilling out on to the streets at the same time and creating mayhem.

But rowdy pubs could face closure under a radical new system under which landlords will have points deducted from a driving-style licence.

A White Paper published today was setting out proposals to revolutionise the way pubs, clubs and restaurants are licensed. Mr Straw was expected to outline the details in a statement to MPs during the afternoon.

But the changes are expected broadly to follow the recommendations of an all-party group of MPs, chaired by Selby MP John Grogan, sat up to look at Britain's antiquated licensing laws.

Mr Grogan said today he expected local authorities to be given a much bigger role, with magistrates hearing appeals against council's decisions and also dealing with licence breaches.

He expected the old 11pm closure time to be scrapped, with each pub able to apply to have its own closure time or, in some instances, to remain open through the night.

He said it was now generally recognised this would help reduce the problem of hundreds of pub customers suddenly emerging onto the streets just after 11pm, and the subsequent disorder that often resulted.

Pubs would also be able to free up access to children and become more family-friendly.

Mr Straw said the problems to be addressed by the White Paper later today would include the complexity of the licensing laws; the "pretty extraordinary" arrangements on opening hours; and arrangements for combating under-age drinking.

"It is to modernise the arrangements, streamline them, to reduce the burden on business, but above all to make it easier for people who, as it were, can hold their drink, to drink, but to toughen up on enforcement, that is the purpose of our proposals," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Apart from the 1988 reform that allowed all-day Sunday opening, the licensing laws in England and Wales have changed little since 1915, when they were tightened to stop factory workers turning up drunk and harming the war effort.

The proposals are unlikely to be implemented before the General Election as the Government will have to spend some time inviting responses to its proposals before bringing forward legislation in Parliament.

Iain Loe, of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: "We've been pressing for a long time for opening hours to be more relaxed.

"It's about time licensing laws in England and Wales caught up with the rest of Europe.

"We feel the proposals could reduce alcohol-related trouble and there won't be a massive increase in alcohol consumption - all-day opening has proved that."

He added: "It should lead to a much more pleasant atmosphere on a Friday and Saturday night."

see also 'About time too on drink laws'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.