A LANDLORD claims he has been "stabbed in the back" by his own locals after they objected to his application for a late night licence.

Furious John Bromage, of the White Bull, New Lane, Oswaldtwistle, only found out neighbours were against his plan when he received a council report.

He said: "I feel totally stabbed in the back, they all knew about it, in fact they've all been to entertainment nights and said they loved it."

Eight objectors have written to the council saying a new licence would mean loud music, late night drunks, loss of parking and damage to their cars.

But John said that although the licence means he could have live bands until midnight Monday to Saturday and on Sunday at 10.30pm, he has no intention of doing so and he only got it to hold christenings and other functions.

John filed the application with Hyndburn Borough Council on January 7 this year. He took over the White Bull in December after the foot-and-mouth disease forced him to give up his former pub in Cumbria.

He said he was hurt by the" underhanded" manner of the objections. "I can't believe what they've done, I'm quite upset, I told them all about it and all they said was I would lose their trade.

"I thought we were friends, I couldn't believe it when I opened the letter from the council this morning. I wouldn't mind but all their fears are wrong, I have no intention of holding bands in here, the pub is too small, its just not that sort of pub."

One resident who wrote to the council said: "The White Bull has always been a quite country style local pub with no noise or rowdyism which you would get if this application was granted."

Another said: "We feel that it will attract a lot of young people we have in the past experienced to have caused trouble and damage to property and cars. There is the fear that our cars will be damaged."

Despite the complaints John has support from a couple who live across the road on Willow Park.

Lilian and Bob Baldwin visit the pub regularly and Lilian, 61, who also cleans at the pub, said: "I feel for John, all he's doing is trying to do is provide for his two boys and his wife. It's not the sort of loud music that youngsters like. These people are stuck in a rut and I don't know what their problem is, you can't even hear it outside. We like the pub, it is somewhere people of our age can go without fear of trouble and John will keep it like that."

Hyndburn Council will consider the application tomorrow afternoon.