BY degrees, our once-repressive laws on drinking hours have begun to come up to date, but the departure being sought at Blackburn, enabling a pub to stay open until 2am every night, is one that should be approved with caution.

Approval should not be withheld for pubs in town centres and other locations that have no neighbours.

But elsewhere the guide should be people's right to peace and quiet.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.