A BUSY city-centre pub can open into the early hours of the morning, licensing bosses have ruled.

Their decision to grant a late-night licence to the Five Lions in Walmgate, York, is the latest in a raft of applications approved by council chiefs.

Landlord Craig Holt said he was pleased with the decision, which came despite objections from local residents, many of whom wrote to the council expressing their dismay at the application.

Walmgate resident Susan Jenkins-Clarke said: "There have been many occasions when music is played loudly and when customers become rowdy. This problem will clearly be exacerbated with even longer drinking hours." She said the application "filled her with horror".

Jonathan Abbott wrote: "I moved to Walmgate because it was in the city but not IN the city - and was 'off the beaten track' as far as loud, rowdy bars and clubs are concerned.

"If this late licence is approved, Walmgate will become a very different place on an evening - noisy and threatening, and I for one will be reconsidering where I live."

Mr Holt had applied to open the Five Lions until 2.30am every night, but councillors ruled that was too late, and granted a licence lasting until 1.30am Monday to Saturday and 1am on Sunday.

They also decided the pub's beer garden should close by 11.30pm every night.

Mr Holt told the Evening Press: "I'm pretty happy with the decision. As far as I'm concerned, it's a good outcome.

"At the end of the day, I can't help people talking, but I do ask them to leave quietly. You're always going to get noisy people walking along Walmgate whether we open late or not."

Councillors on the licensing committee also gave the go-ahead for other extended hours applications.

Not even the Lord Mayor of York could stop a late licence application for Orgasmic in Coney Street.

The Mansion House - the Lord Mayor's official residence - is about 40m away from Orgasmic, and is the only residential property in the area.

In a letter of objection on behalf of the Lord Mayor's office, civic services officer Anne Skelton said: "The impact of noise and nuisance into the early hours, if this application is granted, will have a seriously detrimental impact on the residential amenities of the occupants of the Mansion House."

But councillor's granted a 2.30am closing time licence as requested.

Licences for Yates's Wine Lodge, Capital and O'Neills - all in Low Ousegate - have also been approved.

Closing times for the new licences are as follows:

Five Lions - 1.30am Monday to Saturday, 1am on Sunday

Yates's - 12.30am Monday to Wednesday, 1.30am on Thursday, 2.30am Friday and Saturday, 1am on Sunday

Capital - 1.30am Monday to Thursday and Sunday, 2.30am Friday and Saturday

O'Neills - 12.30am Sunday to Wednesday, 1.30am on Thursday, 2.30am Friday and Saturday

Orgasmic - 2.30am Monday to Sunday.

Updated: 11:06 Monday, August 22, 2005