LANDLORDS are being urged to hurry through new licence applications with council officers fearing many will leave it to the last minute.
Out of 650 licensed clubs and bars in west Wiltshire only six have applied for an alcohol licence under new laws.
Landlords have until August 6 to apply for a licence even if they are not seeking to extend their opening hours.
Any pubs not complying with the law change could be closed down by November.
A spokesman for West Wiltshire District Council said they were expecting between 80 and 100 applications over the next few weeks. But she warned if the council were swamped with last minute applications it could cause immense pressure on resources.
A licensing committee has been set up to deal with contentious applications, with Cllr Bob Brice (Lib Dem) as chairman.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article