Party animals will raise a glass and toast Jack Straw today. The biggest knees-up in a thousand years is officially on. Thanks to the Home Secretary, we can drink to the new Millennium and beyond.

In theory, revellers could begin the celebrations in a pub at 11am on December 31 and stay there until 11pm on New Year's Day. In practice, only those with the constitution of a dozen Oliver Reeds and the wallet to match would last the course.

There will be some concern that the Government has granted a licence for drunkenness.

But celebrations do not come any bigger than this one.

Mr Straw would have become known as Britain's greatest party pooper if he had cut short the festivities.

However, he might find it harder to justify his decision to allow the same freedoms for New Year's Eve in future years.

The problem lies not with these special nights, but with the rest of the year. English drinkers are shackled by laws that have long been out of date.

It is farcical that pubs are not allowed to serve alcohol beyond 11pm.

Like a strict father, the Home Secretary is now allowing us to stay up late one night a year.

Drinkers will want to make the most of this rare moment of freedom and many will no doubt over indulge.

But if we were treated like adults all year round, late drinking on New Year's Eve would not have be such a novelty.

Selby MP John Grogan is just one voice in a growing campaign for flexible and liberal opening hours, like those enjoyed in Scotland.

New licensing laws fit for a new century would be a more lasting legacy of the Millennium than the 36-hour Millennium binge.

In the meantime, members of the licensed trade are left with the headache of what to do this December 31.

A survey of York licensees discovered little enthusiasm for staying open for the full period.

Sensibly, most look set to close in the early hours and re-open later in the day.

Many pubs are looking to charge an entrance fee to cover costs - staff working that night deserve a decent bonus, after all. But they must be careful.

Charge too high a price and every one will stay at home to party.

If a fee is unavoidable, licensed premises should consider including food and a free drink as part of the deal.

People want value for money even on the last day of the Millennium.

see NEWS 'Pubs will close for never-ending party'

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