Prof John Ashton said the UK had a "binge drinking culture"

The government said staggering drinking hours would cut anti-social behaviour by stopping drinkers from going home at the same time.

But Prof Ashton said most pubs would still close at the same time.

This meant people would come on to the street at the same time having drunk more alcohol, he said.

The new continental-style licensing laws come into effect from November.

A lot of bars and pubs have quite cynically left it to the last minute to put in their applications to give the public very little opportunity to object Prof John Ashton

Prof Ashton said many bars were applying for one hour extensions six days a week and a half-hour extension on Sundays.

He said: "This means that we will still see pubs and bars closing at roughly the same time, but with the spill-out onto the streets an hour or so later than now and with larger quantities of alcohol consumed.

"This is a recipe for disaster and I would urge everyone to find out if their local pubs are planning to submit applications to stay open late.

"We have a binge drinking culture in this country that is blighting lives, fuelling crime and putting an intolerable strain on the NHS, police and emergency services.

"It's a major problem and the drinks industry should be a pivotal partner in addressing it."

'Too complex'

Prof Ashton said licensees were also submitting last minute applications in order to give the public less chance to object.

He added: "What seems to be going on is the owners of a lots of bars and pubs have quite cynically left it to the last minute to put in their applications to give the public very little opportunity to object."

But Jane Hall, of the Licensed Victuallers Association in Greater Manchester, said leaving applications until the last minute "was the last thing on most licensees' minds".

She added: "The reason why most applications have been submitted late is because they are too complex.