From here to Phuket - that's licensing!

More than 34 million sheets of paper have been used to complete the licensing application process - which if laid end to end would reach 'from London to Phuket in Thailand'.

The world would also be 2,720 large pine trees better off without Britain's licensing reform.

The astonishing figures from the British Beer & Pub Association show the extent of the burden placed on an industry which many believe to be already over-loaded with red tape.

Pubs, restaurants, off-licences, supermarkets and take-away establishments were forced to send copies of the application form, comprising a minimum of 15 pages, to 10 different responsible authorities.

These included police, council, fire brigade, health and safety teams and trading standards. In most cases at least half of the authorities copied in could be found within the same council building.

At the beginning of the process Hertfordshire brewer and operator McMullens estimated it would need 45,000 sheets of paper.

'In the end, the final tally was nearer to 60,000 sheets of paper for 130 pubs,' said commercial director David Gill. 'It is quite unbelievable the amount of paper it has generated. The Health and Safety Executive were just not interested in seeing copies anyway and kept sending them back.'

Gill added he was not surprised that councils were struggling under the strain of paperwork and that some had mislaid information.

'That is certainly the case at Westminster,' he said. 'We sent them a cheque which they returned saying they could not find the relevant paperwork. Then two weeks later told us we had not sent a cheque!'

JD Wetherspoon estimated it used around 330,000 sheets of paper in total - about 50 sheets per application.