RESIDENTS and traders around Skipton's canal basin were delighted after a bid by the Lock, Stock and Barrel pub to extend opening times by an hour at weekends was rejected by magistrates.

"We're very pleased with the outcome," Judith Hughes, of Pennine Boat Trips, told the Herald after the two hour long hearing at Skipton Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Honeycomb Leisure, which owns the wharfside inn, had applied for a provisional special hours licence to serve alcohol until midnight each Friday and Saturday.

Seventeen objectors packed into the courtroom and of those eight gave evidence outlining their problems with the application, mainly noise, nuisance and rowdiness late at night.

The police were unable to make representations during the hearing due to a legal problem over paperwork but licensing officer Sgt Kevin Wilson told the Herald he would have objected had that been possible.

Honeycomb Leisure's retail director for its inns and taverns division, Helen Standing, told the court that there was no intention to create a nightclub, like The Waterfront which had operated from the premises some years ago.

"We are looking to give our existing customers an extra hour. We are not looking to create a nightclub," Miss Standing added.

She revealed plans to spend £60,000 modernising the Lock, Stock and Barrel, by creating a dance floor and installing air conditioning so windows and doors need not be opened.

She also promised a self-closing device and alarm on a fire door which was continually being opened leading to noise nuisance, a door policy not to admit people after 11pm and sound limiters on the musical equipment.

She also gave a commitment to stop the emptying of bottle skips late at night and to take steps to keep the courtyard area outside the pub as clean as possible.

Judith Hughes told the court that Pennine Boat Trips' premises suffered from people urinating and vomiting in doorways and there was a constant fear of damage to the boats.

Ian Clarke, of Pennine Cruisers, said he could not go to sleep on his boat in the canal basin until the Lock, Stock and Barrel had closed at night. He said the noise came out through the glass front of the building and could still be clearly heard with windows and doors closed.

Peter and Anne Holden, of the Craven Cruising Club, said the noise from the music vibrated across the canal basin. "It's thump, thump, thump. If it goes on even later boating is not going to be a hobby any more. It will be a nightmare," said Mrs Holden.

John Gore, of Navigation Square, said the noise travelled across the water and was invasive and vibrated. His neighbour Thomas Rutter said the thud of the music could still be heard with windows and doors closed.

James Young, of Counting House Mews, objected to the noise but also feared later opening could lead to more disorder, although he conceded that offenders were not necessarily Lock, Stock and Barrel customers.

Coun Betty Campbell, of skipton Town Council, said it objected because the pub was between two predominantly residential areas.

Chairman of the bench Anne Kay said: "By extending the hours there is a real risk of an increase in the level of rowdiness and civil disorder causing disturbance to the people in the area.

"The company has been aware of problems with the bottle skip and general levels of noise and has failed to address these issues during the time the application has been pending. This reinforces our views that the premises are unlikely to be run in a way that does not disturb the residents."