Nightclub owners say magistrates will ruin Christmas Eve for their customers by forcing them to stop drinking at midnight.

The Paradox and Event clubs in West Street, Brighton, will have to shut the bar early because December 24 falls on a Sunday and serving extensions have been denied.

Town magistrates said they feared unacceptable levels of noise and disturbance would have followed had they allowed them to keep serving alcohol until 2pm, as requested.

The clubs had their request denied under the 220-year old Sunday Observance Act. Paradox manager Phil Leppard has accused magistrates of being silly to obey the law to the letter.

He said: "I've been here for 20 years and we've always been able to serve until 2am before when Christmas Eve has fallen on a Sunday.

"Other towns aren't being affected in the same way. Brighton is one of the biggest clubbing venues in the country.

"This is meant to be the 21st Century. It's like we're going backwards instead of forwards. People are likely to go somewhere else."

On normal Sundays clubs operate the same licensing hours as pubs, closing at 10.30pm.

On Christmas Eve the Paradox and Event have permission to stay open until 2am but must stop serving two hours earlier.

Mr Leppard said: "That could cause other problems. People are going to drink as much as they can before midnight and so drink very quickly.

"In the past towns like Worthing have complained that they've not got late licences on Christmas Eve if it falls on a Sunday. Now they are in a better position than us."

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said she did not know of any Brighton and Hove nightclubs which had been granted a 2am alcohol licence, but said the police had not raised any objections to late licences.

She said: "Magistrates have absolute jurisdiction over licensing extensions. Nightclubs are treated in the same way as pubs when applying for extensions to Sunday hours."