Not a single Sussex pub is expected to apply for round-the-clock drinking under relaxed licensing laws.

Licensing minister Richard Caborn said a survey of 30,500 pubs and bars found no landlords planning to apply to remain open for 24 hours.

Every pub and club will now have six months to apply for a new drinks licence with their local authority, requesting the hours they would like to open.

In a survey released on Friday, almost two-thirds of police officers said they feared the move to all-hours drinking would cause a surge in alcohol-related violence.

But speaking to The Argus, Mr Caborn said there was no appetite among pub owners to remain open round-the-clock and he insisted his reforms would crack-down on binge-drinkers and rogue pubs.

He said: "We believe binge drinking is a product, to some extent, of the licensing laws as they are today and therefore we believe the status quo is not an option."

Paul Craig, an entrepreneur who owns Karma at Brighton Marina, said: "I don't know of any bar in Sussex planning to open 24 hours a day. I don't think it is economically viable.

"The new licensing laws will just lead to some pubs and clubs opening later and staggered closing times. It will be like Mediterranean opening hours."

Martin Webb, who founded the Robin Hood charity pub, in Norfolk Place, Brighton, said: "Pubs will not go for 24-hour opening because it is not economically viable. It would be difficult to find staff willing to work some of the shifts.

"Pubs are run by responsible people these days and they realise they have a responsibility to the neighbourhood."

Thursday February 10, 2005