THOUSANDS of people who are worried about binge drinking in their neighbourhoods are using the new licensing laws to try to shut down problem pubs and bars.

The new laws enable pubs and clubs to apply for extensions of their opening hours. For the first time, however, they give the public the power to petition councils at any time to alter a bar’s licence conditions or to have it closed down altogether.

In areas long plagued by binge drinking, residents are now taking up this right. In addition to organising mass petitions against licensees and lodging formal objections to licence applications, residents in some areas have taken to filming drunken behaviour to provide the new licensing authorities with hard evidence that landlords are encouraging antisocial behaviour.

Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, chairman of the Local Government Association, said the new legislation would see a rise in “people power”.

“I’m optimistic,” he said. “It will take the power to crack down on binge drinking away from central government and into the hands of local people and local authorities. And it will make it easier for people to take on the minority of problem pubs.”

Under the new law all establishments serving alcohol must reapply for their drink licences. Those that got their applications in before midnight yesterday are guaranteed to have them processed — but not necessarily approved — within two months.

By yesterday’s deadline, 75% of the 190,000 eligible premises in England and Wales — ranging from pubs and clubs to takeaways, restaurants and village halls — had submitted applications under the new act.

The large majority of these outlets wish to extend opening hours from the current 11pm limit, typically to between midnight and 3am. Only a handful of landlords are applying to serve alcohol around the clock.

Yesterday, a senior police officer called for an early review of the impact of the new laws. Andy Trotter, deputy chief constable of British Transport police, said that if fears of an increase in binge-drinking were borne out, the government should act to “turn off the tap” by curbing access to alcohol once more.

The Network of Residents’ Associations, which represents 30 groups, has already urged members to gather evidence against problem pubs, clubs and takeaways.

Dr Alan Shrank, a retired dermatologist from Shrewsbury who chairs the organisation, said: “We are trying to say to people that if they don’t do something about it now, life for those living in our town centres is going to be hell. Councils will be fighting hundreds of objections from concerned residents.”

In Shrewsbury, residents are gathering evidence against two pubs — the Old Lion Tap and the Admiral Benbow.

Shrank said: “You have people living just 100 yards from these establishments and the behaviour of drinkers is already intolerable. They are coming into the town and getting trashed, drinking themselves into a stupor and keeping everyone awake. The later hours will make it even worse.” Both pubs denied their customers were a problem for residents.

Under the old system, magistrates dealt with licence applications and residents had only limited scope to object.

The new system moves licensing responsibility to councillors who must keep local people on side if they are to be re-elected. They must also consult. If residents disagree with a licensing decision, they have a right to appeal to the courts.

Other areas where residents are mobilising include Southampton, where a pressure group is campaigning for the closure of clubs in the Polygon area of the city, which they claim have forced locals to move out.

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