The government has brought New Year cheer to drinkers by allowing pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants to stay open for 36 hours during Hogmanay.

From now on, drinking establishments will be able to serve alcoholic refreshments from 11am on New Year's Eve to 11pm on New Year's Day - without having to ask magistrates for permission.

Longer drinking hours will provide consumers with more choice of when and where to celebrate Kim Howells

The move is seen as the next step towards ending the UK's licensing laws and allowing licensees to open pubs, clubs or bars 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

The Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations said longer opening hours over New Year will help prevent binge drinking.

Under the current law, licensed premises must apply to a magistrate to serve alcohol after 11pm on weekdays and 10.30pm on Sundays.

Archaic laws

New Year's Eve was treated in the same way, but now hostelries will be able to remain open another 24 hours without having to ask a magistrate.

Ministers decided to extend drinking hours on New Year's Eve permanently after two years of successful trials.

There will be no 11 o'clock rush on New Year's Eve

Licensing minister Kim Howells said: "This is good news for consumers and the industry.

"Longer drinking hours will provide consumers with more choice of when and where to celebrate.

"It is one-step closer to the reform of our archaic licensing laws."

Cheers

Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations said the majority of pubs would close at about 2am on New Year's Day and open again some hours later.

"The new law will be safer for people because they won't all try to get a limited amount of taxis at the same time.

"It will stop people pouring out on to the streets at the same time and prevent binge drinking."

The Regulatory Reform (Special Occasions Licensing) Order, approved by Parliament on Thursday, allows police, local authorities and local residents to seek restriction orders from magistrates to prevent longer hours in premises likely to cause disturbance.

'Time please'

Last month Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell pulled a pint behind the bar of a Westminster local to mark the launch of a bill that paves the way for round-the-clock drinking.

The new legislation, which should be in place next year, will allow licensees to open up their pubs, clubs or bars for up to 24-hour opening, seven days a week.

While the bill, announced in the Queen's Speech, will relax the current laws, its other aim is to combat disorder around pubs and bars.

Police will have new powers to close any licensed premises without notice for up to 24 hours if there are problems with disorder or noise nuisance.

And it will be an offence to sell alcohol to a person under-18 "anywhere", closing a loophole which meant teenagers could still buy drinks on trains, boats and planes.