Bosses at Yates's in Church Street, Preston, want to open until 2.30am on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

But Lancashire Police say the proposals will increase the amount of crime and disorder in the "special policy area".

Church Street, which is in the heart of the city's late-night entertainment area, was described by police as the "most violent" in Lancashire earlier this year.

Yates's opens until 12.30am on Wednesday and Thursday, and 2.30am on Friday and Saturday.

Mike Thorpe, head of licensing at Preston Council, said: "The police are objecting because they feel that by opening later, it will increase incidents of crime.

"They will have to provide evidence at a hearing to prove this."

Preston Council's licensing committee will meet to discuss the proposals on Wednesday next week. Yates's was unavailable for comment.

It comes as yet another Preston pub is consigned to the history books.

The future of the Lime Kiln in Aqueduct Street, Ashton, has been in doubt for some time after it was put up for sale.

Now, it has been taken over by Wellfield Properties Ltd which plans to convert the pub into a Chinese restaurant.

Ronnie Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Preston Licensed Victuallers' Association, said the smoking ban, cheap supermarket booze and increased charges from breweries are blighting the trade.

He said: "It's a terrible shame another pub's biting the dust.

"In the past, it was always a really popular pub, in a great area, with plenty of customers."

Meanwhile, a former "Alpine" restaurant which was converted into a Chinese is to change direction again.

Ocean Palace in Cross Street is re-opening as an Indian restaurant.

The building was home to the Austrian-themed Alpenhof restaurant for eight years.



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