The new licences come into force in November

With only six weeks left to register for a new licence under the 2003 Licensing Act, just 20% of licensed premises have made an application.

The act brings in 24-hour drinking but all landlords need the paperwork even if they are not changing opening hours.

Culture Minister James Purnell said more applications were being received.

He said everything was being done to raise awareness of the requirement for landlords to apply for the new licences by August in order to carry on selling alcohol after November.

Concerns

Mr Purnell said: "We've gone from a situation where we had about three and a half per cent who had applied in May, to one where we've now got 20%.

"The applications are starting to pick up and we've put in place a massive awareness programme to make sure people know that they have to apply."

The information campaign followed concerns from local authorities that they might see a rush in applications they would be unable to process just before the deadline.

Police also warned that many landlords might inadvertently end up breaking the law because they were not aware of the requirements of the new act.

Live music

Pubs with live music are also required to obtain live music licences, regardless of the size of the act.

Currently up to two people can perform in a pub without the premises requiring a licence.

Some licensees say the new rules will inhibit the growth of new performers, but Mr Purnell insisted the system would be fairer.

"This act goes from a situation where there was a massive distortion in the live music market, where people could put on an event with less than two people."

This meant that Simon and Garfunkel could turn up and play at a local pub, but the Beatles could not, he said.