The licences come into force in November

In Gateshead, where Newcastle Brown Ale is now brewed, the council has received just 60 of the more than 1,600 licences it needs to process by August.

And it says of those it has received most have contained mistakes.

It is warning many licensees will miss the boat and have to stop selling alcohol this winter.

Under the new Licensing Act every licence holder has to apply either to convert their existing licence, which is a relatively simple process, or apply to vary the licence for example to extend opening times.

Backlog warning

Application for extended hours is a much longer process because it has to go out for public consultation.

The council says it needs to receive about 19 applications a day to get through the process, but is receiving only five a week.

The licences come into force in November but a 6 August deadline has been given for existing licences to be converted.

Council head of regulatory services Paul Dowling said there was likely to be a big backlog in applications if the current situation continues.

He said: "There is every likelihood that a number of pubs will therefore find themselves still in the process of applying for a licence when the new licence regime comes into force in November.

"They will be, in effect, without a valid licence and will not be permitted to serve alcohol. And it could then take until the New Year for their new licence to be processed."