EXTENDED opening hours for pubs could lead to more mayhem on Ilkley streets, objectors fear.

New rules on pub licences have prompted Ilkley bars to join hundreds of others in the district to apply for extended opening times.

But objectors fear sleepless nights for people living near the town centre and an increase in the damage done and litter left by drunken louts.

Tomorrow an Ilkley bar will bid to be allowed to play live music and serve alcohol until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. It will mean late night revellers spilling out on Ilkley streets at around 4am.

The bid, by Johnsons of Brook Street, is just one application to increase opening hours among more than 700 in the district as a whole.

The application has attracted opposition from local residents and businesses, including one letter and a 172-signature petition objecting to the increase.

The application will be debated by Bradford councillors, one week after an application by The Crescent Hotel to increase its hours of opening went before the Keighley and Shipley Licensing Panel.

The panel heard complaints from local residents about the noise from drinkers in the courtyard causing nuisance to local residents.

Hilary Newman told the meeting that she had collected signatures from local businesses and residents who were worried about excessive noise coming from the premises.

Mrs Newman said: "The hotel is located in the middle of a residential area and the main concern is the noise and disturbance in the town centre after 11pm which emanates from the terrace of the hotel and the function room.

"People from The Yard are being thrown out of the yard and landing on the back terrace of the Crescent. The area is like an auditorium. People who have signed this petition have confirmed they are unable to enjoy private and family life."

Ilkley district councillor Colin Powell told the meeting that he fully supported everything Mrs Newman said.

Although the Licensing Panel agreed to let the hotel stay open until 2am on Friday and Saturday and until 2am Sunday to Thursday in the run-up to Christmas in December, various conditions were imposed.

All the doors and windows of the function room have to be closed at 11pm if music is being played, after 10pm each entrance will have to have two registered door staff and the outside back terrace of the bar will have to be closed at 11pm, so drinkers cannot congregate outside and make a noise.

Crescent Hotel manager Chris Brown told the meeting that because complaints had been received, the hotel had already decided to close the back terrace at 11pm.

After the meeting Mr Brown said he was happy with the outcome. He said: "I think we got what we all wanted. The function room windows and doors will be shut after 11pm when there is music on.

At the end of the day, everybody got what they wanted to a certain extent and it puts everything in the public domain. I think everybody came out of it in an OK situation. It is moving forward."