PUB and disco activities in Yarm could be expanding further, with plans for longer Sunday opening hours and possible outdoor events by the River Tees.

The New Cross Keys is applying for permission to extend its Sunday opening hours, while the Blue Bell is seeking a public entertainment licence which, town councillors believe, could permit outdoor events.

Yarm Town Council has expressed many concerns about the town's buoyant pub and nightclub scene, but it also acknowledges its huge economic importance.

However, the council feels strongly that residents are regularly disturbed by revellers.

The New Cross Keys recently submitted an application to serve drinks from noon to 12.30am on Sundays, and from noon to 1am on Sundays which precede bank holiday Mondays.

The pub has been extended and is having a new fire escape built. It has held discos on its first floor for many years, running on certain weekdays until 1am.

However, councillors believe Sundays should be kept special. Chairman Coun Liz Marsden said Church Wynd residents had complained to her about the new extension. If they had known about the plan before buying their home, it would have been a different matter.

"I don't think we should tolerate this, especially when pubs are open all day on bank holiday Mondays. These proposed closing times are very late and would invade residents' privacy. Sunday is the only day of rest for many people."

Coun Philip Addison opposed anything extra on Sundays, saying: "It's breaking into the seventh day."

"We knew this would happen when the New Cross Keys went for an extension. Residents suffer noise, night after night. We should quote the Crime and Disorder Act in our correspondence," said Coun Peter Monck.

But Coun Eric Turton recalled the pub's application featured details of a sound survey. Could double doors or windows be fitted to control noise? Was the main problem dance music inside the pub or revellers outside on the High Street?

Others said both were problems, although they stressed noise was a common problem at many pubs.

Coun Addison said: "We'll just have more queues and rowdiness, as residents try to get some sleep before work on Monday."

Surely pubs made enough profit on the other six days without needing extra Sunday hours, Coun Gwen Porter suggested.

Regarding the Blue Bell, Coun Bob Stephenson said it had apparently applied for a new public entertainment licence, which he understood could permit outdoor events in its riverside beer garden.

Given the pub's prime location, he said many promoters and entertainment firms would be interested in it.

The application covered every day of the week and included sports events, but councillors were unsure whether this was large screen TV broadcasts or sporting events by or in the river. They had no objection to TV screenings.

The Blue Bell had become fairly lively since refurbishment, but there were no real problems there, councillors said. While some controls were needed on loud music and noise, Coun Stephenson did not want to strangle Yarm's night-time economy.

"We have to be careful about quoting the Crime and Disorder Act in planning or licence applications. If we imposed it in this way, we'd never get any new developments or buildings. And I cannot see any court agreeing to it."