Rise in 24-hour licences - but majority still hotels and supermarkets

Supermarkets and hotels - not pubs - still hold the vast majority of 24-hour licences under the Licensing Act, new government figures revealed today.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport figures show around 800 more round-the-clock licences were issued in the 12 months to March 31 - a 14 per cent rise.

However, of the 6,300 outlets that now have 24-hour licences, 61 per cent are hotel bars and 20 per cent are supermarkets and stores.

Just 10 per cent of 24-hour licences - 640 in total - are pubs, bars and nightclubs.

The number of live music licences issued, to all types of oulets, rose by 6,000 - an overall increase of eight per cent.

Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe said the "small rise" in the number of 24-hour licences was evidence that "people are taking advantage of the flexibility on offer".

And he pointed out most of these were held by hotels "which have always been able to serve their customers 24 hours a day".

He also highlighted figures showing 160 licences had been revoked and a further 170 suspended as evidence police were increasingly using their powers under the Act.

Venues being made to change their opening hours totalled 160, while 620 had conditions placed on their licence

Sutcliffe added: "So again the predicted explosion in 24 hour drinking has failed to materialise.

"What we have seen though is a significant increase in the use of police powers to tackle problem premises. I've said that I want to see these powers being used more widely, and today's statistics show that is beginning to happen."