LANDLORDS in a market town hope extended opening hours will stem the flow of drinkers attracted to towns with late-night drinking.

Six pubs in Crook have applied for extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

David Leighton, from Ye Olde Horse Shoe Inn, said landlords had noticed people were going to other towns to drink during weekends.

"We feel we're losing out," he said.

"We have a licensing association here and several of us in the town centre decided we didn't see any particular reason why we couldn't compete on a level playing field with the likes of Bishop Auckland."

However, the move has provoked some controversy.

Police gauged local support and six traders and 17 residents said they were against the move, most claiming it would lead to more noise late at night in residential areas.

One resident wrote to the council claiming that people in their street already had to contend with drinkers urinating in the street and an "assortment of condoms, pants and the odd pair of tights or stockings left lying in the back streets".

Sergeant Craig Dixon, of Crook police, made a number of recommendations to the councillors considering the application, including making licence holders responsible for clearing up litter near their pub.

However, he said they had not received an abundance of objections