MORE than 100 York villagers are aiming for a second victory in their battle against late-night student drinking.

An application by the Deramore Arms pub in Main Street, Heslington, has prompted 117 protests from residents.

That is more than twice the number submitted when campaigners successfully thwarted an application by the village's other pub, the Charles XII, earlier this month.

Both pubs are popular with students at the University of York, and licensing councillors agreed later hours would lead to increased noise, nuisance, litter and vandalism in the village.

The Charles XII wanted to stay open until 12.30am, but had its application rejected, even after reducing their request to cover Thursday, Friday and Saturday only.

Villagers are hoping for the same result when the Deramore's case is heard by councillors, on August 1. The pub has applied to stay open until 1am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Dr Jeffrey Stern, a member of the parish council and vice-chairman of the Heslington Village Trust, said he was surprised and pleased with the number of objections made.

He said: "It's entirely logical that the Deramore should be refused on the same ground as the Charles XII, that noise and nuisance are not needed in the village."

Meanwhile, a city centre club which sparked protests when it applied for extended hours has been given the go-ahead to stay open until 3am.

At a hearing in Guildhall earlier this week, Reflex, in George Hudson Street, was granted permission to stay open until 2.30am from Monday to Thursday, 3am on Friday and Saturday and 1am on Sunday. Those times include 30 minutes drinking- up time.

The club, which is in the council's "cumulative impact zone", had applied to stay open until 3.30am on Friday and Saturday and 2.30am on Sunday, but a committee comprising councillors Kenneth King, Gilbert Nimmo and Richard Moore reduced the hours.

The club can, though, stay open until 2.30am on Sunday on Bank Holiday weekends, except Easter. It can also have an extra hour on certain specified dates, such as St Patrick's Day, but never beyond 3am.

Reflex's application had been objected to by the fire brigade, the police, the environmental protection unit, two local residents and Dale Needham, manager of the Ramada Encore Hotel in Micklegate.

After the hearing Mr Needham said: "I think the decision sets an unruly and dangerous precedent for businesses in the cumulative impact zone, and I think it will have a long-term negative effect on tourism."

Updated: 10:11 Wednesday, July 20, 2005