ALL-NIGHT drinking to celebrate the Millennium could prevent trouble flaring in the town, a Bolton planning boss claims.

Proposals to relax the alcohol licensing laws for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have been given the thumbs up.

Members of Bolton Council's planning and environment committee have recommended that pubs and clubs can serve all night to bring in the Year 2000 - and for each subsequent New Year.

The Government has sought local opinion to its bid to relax the licensing law. It wants to remove the "burden" from magistrates who are expected to have to deal with hundreds of thousands of extended hours licences for the Millennium.

Cllr Paul Fitzpatrick told committee members at yesterday's meeting: " If people are given the opportunity to take it easy and drink at a steady pace then it will be a good thing.

"People should be able to drink all night and into New Year's Day."

Planning chairman, Cllr Jack Foster, echoed the sentiments claiming the proposals would alleviate town centre trouble.

Cllr Foster said: "People are normally fighting for the bar at closing time and running out for taxis. This causes the trouble and mayhem.

"If people could drink all night, then there wouldn't be this mad panic."

However, Cllr John Hanscomb hit out at planning officers for a month-long delay in showing the consultation document, which needed an official comment by yesterday to committee members.

Cllr Hanscomb said that police chiefs should also be made aware of the opinion-finding excercise.

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