ANOTHER debate over late pub drinking hours in Menston has ended in an amicable compromise, after objections from residents.

The Fox, on Bradford Road, has settled for a scaled-down version of its proposed extended drinking hours, after negotiations at Bradford Council's Shipley Licensing Panel meeting.

The pub had applied to serve alcohol until midnight seven days a week, followed by a half-hour drinking up time. Fifteen letters of objection to the proposed hours were sent to Bradford Council, and Menston Community Association, which objected, also received a number of letters about the licence plans.

An agreement was instead reached between councillors and the pub to limit bar time from 10am to 11pm on Sunday to Thursday, but allow the pub to continuing serving until midnight on Friday and Saturdays. On the four annual Bank Holiday weekends, the pub has been granted permission to serve until 12.30am on Friday and Saturday and midnight on Sunday, with a 30 minute drinking-up time.

Wharfedale ward councillor, Chris Greaves, said of the debate over The Fox: "It was certainly the most amicable one I'd been to. It was negotiated, there was no arguing about it."

The new rules begin in November, and the conditions granted to The Fox are similar to those agreed by councillors for another Menston pub and restaurant, The Hare and Hounds, also on Bradford Road.

Bradford Council has seen a glut of licensing applications recently, as hundreds of pubs and other businesses from, all over the district applied for new licensing conditions as the deadline loomed for them to make these applications. All licensed premises had to apply for new licences amid a Government re-organisation of licensing laws - which also gave pubs and clubs the chance to have 24-hour drinking.

Longer drinking hours have worried Wharfedale councillors, particularly where national pub chains have applied for the same hours at all their premises, not taking into account the character of a pub or its setting.

Councillor Greaves has been keeping an eye on licensing applications in Burley and Menston, and he raised the issue of public notification with licensing heads. He claims residents were not notified well in advance of the meeting, and he had been told that the only notification had gone up at Bradford City Hall - where Menston people were unlikely to see it.

He was given assurances by the licensing panel that the issue would be investigated, and would not happen again.

No Menston residents turned up at last week's meeting, although Coun Greaves said he was contacted by one objector who was unable to make it to the meeting because of illness.

Coun Greaves still has concerns about the knock-on effect of licensing changes at pubs elsewhere. He fears the introduction of late drinking hours in Otley or Aireborough could cause drink-driving in Wharfedale, as the public transport network would not cater for people making their way home in the early hours.