Pubs in Wales are well into a 36-hour New Year's Eve party, the first of its kind under new licensing regulations.

Many bars, pubs and clubs took advantage of new government legislation allowing them to keep their doors open from 1100 GMT on 31 December to 2300 on 1 January.

Winter Wonderland: Cardiff's Calennig celebrations

But most pubs closed in the early hours of New Year's Day planning to open again hours later.

In Cardiff, 35,000 people enjoyed the Calennig New Year celebrations, which featured a Winter Wonderland ice skating rink and lantern parade through the city's streets.

The Lounge, in the centre of Cardiff, opened at 1600 GMT on New Year's Eve and will not call time until 0200 GMT on 2 January.

Licensee Paul Davies gained a special licence from magistrates to open for 36 hours, weeks before the government made it legal for all pubs to do so.

"As long as we have people in the bar, I'll be staying open.

'Feedback'

"But the feedback I have had says that a lot of people are doing other things before coming here later.

"I have staggered staff hours and those that are working are happy to do so.

Ahead of the festivities beginning, he said they had been planning the celebrations for some time.

But other pubs have decided not to take advantage of the temporary licensing laws.

Closing

O'Neill's in Cardiff closed its doors at 0100 GMT on New Year's Day.

Paul Thomas, manager of O'Neill's in Cardiff, said: "New Year's Day has never been a big day for us and it is not worth us paying staff extra to work and paying for them to get taxis in.

The government should have done this a long time ago Rod Luscombe, licensing solicitor

"We have opened until 0100 GMT in the past and we thought if it isn't broke, don't fix it.

Rod Luscombe, from South Wales Legal Service, said he was pleased the government had made the longer licensing hours permanent for New Year festivities.

He added: "I dealt with some bars who were getting impatient with waiting for the government to bring in deregulation and applied for a special license from magistrates.

"The government should have done this a long time ago."

Extended hours

Earlier this month, ministers decided to extend drinking hours on New Year's Eve permanently with licensees no longer having to apply to magistrates.

And in November, UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell launched a bill that could pave the way for round-the-clock pub opening.

The new legislation could be in place in 2003.