By Sara Oliver

REVELLERS face a bleak Christmas and New Year in west Wiltshire after pub landlords warned they could have to close following a late hours licence row.

The furious publicans say they have been waiting months to find out what extra hours they will be allowed to open over the festive period, and now they do not have enough time to put in their late hours licence applications.

Many are now saying they will close their doors and hold private parties for families and friends instead.

Pubwatch, which represents around 33 licensed premises, says the delay in the government deciding whether to allow around-the-clock drinking on New Year's Eve has cost publicans dearly.

Pubwatch chairmman Andy Powell said: "The trade starts organising and promoting its Christmas and New Year parties between April and October.

"It's now almost the end of November, and it just doesn't leave enough time to get events organised, promote them, put in adverts and sell tickets. Last year there wasn't a problem because they de-licensed the whole New Year period. For a lot of people this year is the real start of the millennium and this New Year's Eve is very important to them.

"Most people make their arrangements for Christmas and New Year dos early on, and it is far too late now to get those bookings.

"Several venues that have said they will not be opening to the public.

"People are going to find locked doors and that means the number of premises open this Christmas and New Year will be greatly reduced."

He said there was now not enough time for publicans to put in individual applications for licence extensions for the New Year period.

He said: "We are applying en bloc for all the Pubwatch members as there is not enough time for them to have their applications heard individually."

A spokesman for north and west Wiltshire licensing magistrates said: "We were waiting to see whether the government would re-regulate over the New Year period but it hasn't. Nothing could be done whilst we were waiting."