Licensing officers are tackling a flood of objections to bids to extend drinking hours for hundreds of pubs across the district.

Bradford Council said today 80 bids to extend opening hours have been contested so far - most objections from residents complaining of noise and nuisance.

The Council has received applications from 1,300 pubs for new licences - 60 per cent of them to vary opening hours. The applications will go before the Council's licensing panels this week and over the coming weeks.

Objectors at yesterday's meeting of Bradford licensing panel said they feared they would suffer rowdiness, disturbance and drunkenness if the pub near their homes was allowed to serve until midnight.

The panel approved an application for last orders at midnight at the George & Dragon, in Apperley Bridge, on Fridays and Saturdays.

Its application to serve alcohol from 10am to 11pm for the remainder of the week was also approved.

But the panel agreed conditions including plastic drinks containers in drinking areas outside the pub and no amplified music after 11pm.

The panel received 29 representations pointing out the pub was in a residential area and saying they believed it would result in rowdiness and late-night noise. But Martin Stafford, representing the pub operators Spirit, said: "It is about perceived problems and fear of what might happen."

The panel was told measures to be implemented by the company included approved door supervisors, additional staff patrols, notices asking customers to respect neighbours when leaving the premises and zero tolerance of illegal drugs.

But objector Christine Denman who attended the meeting said: "We don't perceive problems. We already have problems with the current licensing hours."

She and other residents who wrote to the panel said noise and nuisance from the pub were increasing and asked the panel to turn down the application or impose strict conditions.

The panel approved midnight last orders on Tuesday quiz nights, Fridays and Saturdays at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Allerton. Members were told measures had been put in place to prevent nuisance.

The Springfield Hotel in Bradford Road, Idle will also be allowed to serve until midnight from Thursday to Saturday.

Appeals against the decisions can be submitted by applicants and objectors and will be dealt with by magistrates.