NOW a late night licence has been granted to Absolute Leisure Ltd we should reflect on its implications and what lead up to it.

It is surely no coincidence that Absolute Leisure waited until the 2003 Licensing Act came into force whereby City of York Council became the issuing authority rather than the magistrates court which had thrown out the first application.

While the three councillors on the licensing committee may well be men of integrity they were placed in an impossible position - particularly the two Liberal Democrats.

More than 700 people signed a petition requesting no late licensed premises in residential areas without the approval of the residents. More than 200 people wrote objecting to the application.

If these councillors had listened to them, and thrown out the application, they would have had to face the wrath of their political party which is so heavily committed to the project.

As it is, they may well have to face the wrath of the people of York when the realisation dawns that their leisure/sports centre is to become a virtual nightclub able to sell alcohol to up to 3,000 people in all parts of the refurbished centre, even the outside forecourt, for up to 18 hours a day every day of the week.

J and D Wartho,

Eastfield Lane,

Dunnington, York.

Updated: 10:58 Thursday, July 21, 2005