A Skipton landlord is toasting his triumph in getting the extended opening hours he originally applied for.

The Commercial Inn was the first pub in the area to apply for longer opening times under the new licensing act which came into force yesterday (Thursday).

Landlord Paul Mills sought a licence allowing his Water Street pub to serve customers until midnight through the week and 1am on a Friday and Saturday.

But there were objections to the application and it was turned down by Craven District Council's licensing and appeals sub-committee in July.

Members decided he could only serve customers until 11.30am Sunday to Thursday and 12.30am on a Friday and Saturday.

They also imposed a restriction saying the doors and windows had to be closed from 10.30pm to prevent nuisance to the public.

Unhappy with the decision, Mr Mills appealed and on Wednesday won his case at Skipton Magistrates' Court.

He can now serve alcohol during the hours that he originally applied for. He has also had the doors and windows restriction scrapped.

Mr Mills, who has been licensee of the pub for nine years, said: "I thought it was grossly unfair. This was the first application in and I felt I had been treated unduly badly."

The landlord said he felt many of the objections had been about the licensing act in general rather than himself and the way he runs his pub.

He added: "It has cost me money, but you have just not to be frightened to take on the council."

Mr Mills said other pubs would also be appealing.

"If you feel you have not got what you wanted and they have put certain restrictions on, then take them on," he said.

But speaking after this week's decision, Coun Robert Heseltine told the Herald: "As chairman of the licensing committee at Craven District I can fully understand the disappointment and disillusionment of the more than 30 residents living within the vicinity of the Commercial Inn who made objections to the extension of hours.

"The council took their views into account in arriving at their decision back in July and no doubt the residents will feel let down by the decision of the local magistrates."

Appeals relating to five other Skipton pubs are pending. These are the Cock & Bottle, Royal Shepherd, the Devonshire (commonly called Wetherspoon's), the LMS Club and the Rose & Crown.

A spokesman for STAND (Stop Trouble and Night-time Disorder), which represents most of the district's licensees, said it had supported financially any pub or premises that wanted to appeal against the council's decisions.

He said it was "fantastic" the Commercial had won its appeal.

He felt this and other pubs who had put their applications in straight away had been disadvantaged, because many of the objections related to concerns about the new licensing act itself.

He said STAND had enjoyed a good relationship with licensing officer PC Monika Nagy, but the police had not consulted the group before writing letters of objection.

He added that before Christmas STAND would be distributing beer mats to local pubs warning drinkers that although the licensing laws are being relaxed, the pub licensees would not be.

Meanwhile Chief Inspector Chris Chelton said the local police force was in a good position to respond to the new licensing laws.

He explained that extra officers had been deployed on the streets, particularly in Skipton.

"We are also aided by the fact that the hours open by the nightclub are something we can cope with and we are not expecting much of a problem."

Chief Inspector Chelton said anyone acting antisocially, perhaps fuelled by binge drinking, would be firmly dealt with. "We are ready to deal with and poised to implement the Government's drive towards dealing with alcohol related offences through the issuing of fixed penalty notices," he said.