THE Wey Bridge pub in Alton High Street has applied for a controversial new late licence. If the application is successful, the pub could be open until 2 am seven days a week. Geoffrey Draughn, a resident of the High Street, expressed his concern at the proposed opening hours. He told The Herald: "Despite the large number of pubs in Alton, it is noticeable that, at least in this part of town, noise and disorder occur only on the nights when the Wey Bridge stays open late. "On a Saturday and Sunday night, the noise starts promptly at 1 am and usually lasts for about 40 minutes. From 100 metres up the street it sounds rather like a football crowd or a school playground. The nuisance is often confined to noise - shouting, chanting, drunken quarrels, which are usually accompanied by shouted obscenities. Scuffles are not uncommon and police are in regular attendance." In a bid to allay these fears, a spokesman for the Barracuda group, owners of The Wey Bridge, said: "We won't be trading until 2 am every night of the week because there simply isn't the trade for it in Alton. It is far more likely that we will only use the new licence to stay open until 2 at weekends- which is only an hour longer than we trade for at the present time. "We had a temporary 2 o'clock licence at Christmas and we had no problems then, so we don't envisage many problems in the future.We have talked to the police, and have followed their advice. The only condition they have applied to the application is that our door supervisors will now wear high-visibility coats. That is something that we are putting into place already." Concerns about the proposed licence are still running high. Hugh Donnachie, a former landlord, told The Herald: "The Barracuda group is a very large company and as such can offer discounts to customers that traditional landlords cannot. These kind of discounts encourage people to drink more in a shorter period of time." Mr Draughn added: "Alton is a very pleasant place to live and a town with a very obvious sense of civic pride. Its character is not improved by public drunkenness and rowdyism at any time, particularly in the small hours of the morning. It would be a great shame if the town centre were to become a nocturnal gathering place for drunken and anti-social elements." The appeal hearing is due to take place today (Friday) at the East Hampshire District Council offices at Penns Place in Petersfield.
