A SWINDON brewery boss responsible for more than 100 pubs has slammed proposals for the introduction of 24-hour drinking.

James Arkell, managing director of Arkell's Brewery, believes the new laws will be bad news for local community pubs and has branded the changes 'political dogma' and 'dictatorial'.

Mr Arkell believes the controversial plans are a ploy by the Government to rid itself of responsibility for problems with the booze culture.

The new proposals mean 24-hour drinking could become a reality as early as this autumn and the responsibility for giving out pub licences will move from magistrates to local councils.

He said: "I don't think there's any reason to change it. The politicians have hoisted it on the local councils.

"They've done it to absolve themselves of any problems with drinking in the area.

"Arkell's is concerned that the Government has pushed through the withdrawal of licensing responsibilities from magistrates and given them to local councillors.

"When you give the power to councillors, it's a dictatorial system. It's not democratic. It has changed because of political dogma and it's not very clever.

"We have opposed both these changes from the beginning, although our local Labour MP, Michael Wills, has always voted for them."

Mr Arkell points out that while many people are worried about binge drinking, few have stopped to consider the implications for landlords.

"Many customers and landlords of most community pubs, of which Arkell's estate of 103 pubs is almost entirely made up, wish to go to bed at a reasonable time and come back the next day.

"For landlords, there is potentially a high cost, as keeping a pub open after 11pm has wages and running cost implications for their business.

"Competition also often forces licensees to follow later and later hours.

"Finally, on the matter of extending the licensing laws, the Government doesn't have the support of the police.

"When magistrates had responsibility for granting licences, they worked together with the law and their local police force, offering continuity.

"As elected representatives councillors come and go."

Pete Neal, licensee at Arkell's pub, The Manor, in Cheney Manor, says there are already enough drinking hours in the day and no need for more.

He said: "How much money have people got to spend? I think the hours are long enough.

"It means a lot more work for people like me and I don't think the police will be happy because it's more work for them too."

Gareth Bethell