"DON'T snooker the snooker." That was the message today from the Save Our Barbican campaigners to their own supporters today.

The campaign is urging its members not to threaten the UK Snooker Tournament by opposing a new licence application.

Campaigners have been staging a long-running battle against plans by the York leisure centre's new owners, Absolute Leisure, for a late licence, following the redevelopment of the complex.

But in the meantime, Absolute Leisure have also applied for a fresh licence for the existing premises, to enable it to stage the big snooker tournament again next month.

A council spokesman said the centre's existing licence would no longer be valid after November 24, when local authorities take over the responsibility for all licensing matters.

But he said that if objections were raised which could not be resolved, it would not be possible to hold a licensing committee hearing in time for the tournament to be staged. He was not aware of any objections having yet been made.

Ernie Dickinson, spokesman for Save Our Barbican (SOB), said leaders of the campaign were urging members not to oppose the licence and "snooker the snooker," claiming: "That's not what we are about. We do not want to prevent people's enjoyment of the snooker tournament."

He said the campaign was against the extended hours of opening in the enlarged Barbican which Absolute Leisure wanted to build.

A City of York Council licensing committee granted a late licence in the summer, but local residents lodged two appeals against that decision with city magistrates.

The first appeal, concerning the legality of notices posted around the site to advertise the changes, was rejected last month, but campaigners are pressing ahead with an appeal to the High Court against that decision.

Magistrates are also due to hear a substantive appeal against the council's overall decision at a two-day hearing in February.

Meanwhile, another legal challenge by SOB, concerning the council's decision to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of the whole Barbican site, which had been due to go to the High Court earlier this week, was withdrawn at the last minute so it can go to mediation.

Mr Dickinson said SOB was challenging the amount of legal aid granted by the Legal Services Commission when campaigners went to the High Court in the summer to apply for judicial review of the council's decision.

He said the matter would now go to mediation next month, but if it could not be resolved, it would go back for a High Court hearing at a later date.

Updated: 10:46 Wednesday, November 16, 2005