Ken Thompson will call last orders on his pub on Wednesday

New rules are allowing pubs and clubs to apply for 24-hour drinking.

However, Ken Thompson who owns The Grapes public house in Moss, a village on the outskirts of Wrexham said the new law has forced him to close.

"The red tape and rigmarole of this new act has just pushed me over the edge," the 70-year-old said.

It'll only be a matter of time before more rural pubs go Ken Thompson, landlord

Across Wrexham, 811 late licences were applied for but just 216 granted. Four 24-hour licences have been approved.

A spokeswoman for Wrexham Council said 'Peppers' was the only nightclub in the town to have been awarded around-the-clock drinking, the other three venues were supermarkets.

Mr Thompson, who is also the secretary and treasurer of the North Wales Licensed Victuallers' Association said he would have retired sooner or later but the new act "pushed" him.

"It's pushed me, we've been contemplating for a while whether to call it a day but the red tape and rigmarole of this new act has just pushed me over the edge," he said.

Changing times

"The form is about 40 pages, you need to get a new plan of the premises and you really have to have a solicitor.

"If [village] pubs gets extended hours it's going to be a bit more rowdy when they're leaving the pub at one o'clock in the morning," he added.

Mr Thompson said longer hours will not benefit village pubs.

Customers at the Horse and Jockey in Wrexham are to be offered late opening at weekends

"Extended hours don't mean to say bigger trade. I think people will just come out a little later," he said.

"I was talking to a man who's got a lease pub in town, he said the overheads are going up and up and the profit's going down and down.

'Costs'

"It'll only be a matter of time before more rural pubs go. They're just not viable anymore," he added.

Mr Thompson and his wife Anne will shut their pub doors for the last time on Wednesday evening but they will continue to live on the premises.

Geoff Williams, manager of Horse and Jockey pub in Wrexham town centre is to open until 0100 GMT between Thursdays and Saturdays and midnight on Sundays and said he had an "open mind".

"We'll try if for three months and monitor the situation," he said.

"Although it's a freedom to drink when you want, your costs go up, there's no way I'm going to be here at one o clock in the morning if there are only two people drinking in the pub".