An “all night economy” approach in parts of West Yorkshire may be good for business but adversely affecting health, a meeting has been told.

Fears have been raised that a "cocaine, pills and alcohol nightlife" is being fuelled by nightspots opening until 6am or 7am.

Calderdale health board partners are worried that allowing some premises to open until breakfast time is giving rise to concerns about drug use and violence.

They will consider the issue again in the New Year and believe the issue is something Calderdale’s licensing authorities should consider.

Neil Smurthwaite, Calderdale lead for performance, on the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said: “There is clearly a long term issue and clearly a cocaine, pills and alcohol nightlife.

“We have talked about it here before and we have had presentations from the police  – we are an outlier in West Yorkshire but because we support a night time economy until five, six, seven in the morning, we are not helping.”

It was great for the economy but there was an adverse effect shown by increased numbers of young people presenting at A&E, said Mr Smurthwaite.

“As a locality, we need to think whether that’s the right thing for our population.

“I know its a balance of economy, but I am sitting in more and more of these meetings and the night time economy is coming up time and time again as a real issue for health and social care.

“We need to take a stance on whether that is sustainable going forward,” he said.

Calderdale Council Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Coun Adam Wilkinson, said the borough tended to have night clubs that open later than other areas, which also brought in more out-of-area people.

“I think it is something the Licensing Committee needs to have a good look at, really,” he said.

Chairing Calderdale Health and Wellbeing Board, Dr Steven Cleasby said: “In terms of the night time economy, I think there is a strong consensus that things are happening that are not going to help, whether it’s around violence or its around drugs.”

The board earlier heard concerns a synthetic opiate – Nitazene – shelved in the 1960s has been obtained by criminal gangs and could cause deaths among Calderdale drug users if it finds its way into cocaine being taken recreationally by users of the night time economy.

The board was hearing a wider discussion of how the National Drug Strategy was being implemented locally, including how health partners might combat such issues.