MILLENNIUM revellers looking for an all-night party have been warned that most pubs in East Lancashire will not be open after 3am on January 1, 2000.

And they may have to buy tickets in advance if they want to spend New Year's Eve in the hostelry of their choice.

A survey of pubs across the country shows only three per cent of pubs plan to open through the night and up to breakfast time on January 1, as the government has allowed them to.

And East Lancashire pubs are likely to follow the trend, according to Licensed Victuallers' Association spokesman Lawrence Theaker, of the Aqueduct in Bolton Road, Blackburn.

He said: "We will be calling last orders at 2am and it will be tickets only.

"Pubs can't afford to open all night with the megabucks people want to work behind the bar, prices would be sky high.

"Most licensees I have spoken to will be shutting at around 2am, there may possibly be the odd one in the town centre that may do otherwise." Burnley Licensed Victuallers' Association spokesman Les Harrison denied only a small percentage are planning to open the full 36 hours.

Mr Harrison, of the Coal Clough pub in Coal Clough Lane, Burnley, said: "Lots of pubs are going to have ticket only events and I have spoken to my customers who say they will only come out if it is a ticket only job on the night.

"As for most not opening the full 36 hours, I can't believe that is true. Certainly in Burnley I can't imagine landlords closing their pubs if they are full of people enjoying themselves.

Vince Day, of Pendle Licensed Victuallers' Association and landlord of the Cotton Tree pub in Colne believes few pubs will open throughout the millennium period.

But he added: "I do know there are going to be a lot of ticket only events, there is no doubt about that."

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