At midnight, pubs, clubs and other establishments were able to serve alcohol 24 hours a days. Ministers hope the changes will end binge-drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence. Campaigners fear it will make things worse. Olivia Richwald and Rob Merrick report.

ABOUT half of the pubs and clubs in the North-East and North Yorkshire have permission to open longer from today, a survey has revealed.

However, fears that drink-fuelled violence would reach epidemic proportions as party-goers drink from dusk till dawn appear, at this stage, to be unfounded, since most premises have been granted only an extra hour or two.

A survey by The Northern Echo yesterday revealed that only eight pubs had been granted a 24-hour licence in this region. Of those, seven were in Teesdale, and one was in a rural area near Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

A number of shops and a bar past the check-in point at Newcastle International Airport have been the only other venues given such autonomy.

However, a number of nightclubs, private members clubs and pubs will now stay open until the very early hours of the morning.

In Darlington, Escapade nightclub has been granted permission to open until 6am on two days a week. Yesterday, the council said 55 per cent of pubs and clubs in the town had permission to open later.

In Wear Valley, about 85 pubs and clubs have extended licences.

Tom Carver, head of public protection at the council, said: "I don't think we will see much of a difference in the next few weeks because we are in a lull before Christmas.

"In the run up to Christmas, we will get an idea of the worst-case scenario as people go out for Christmas parties.

"The majority of out extensions are for one hour, so many are until midnight. Two or three places will be open until 2.30 or 3am."

His views were echoed by Ian Harrison, principal licensing officer for Hartlepool Borough Council. He said: "Really, 24-hour drinking has not turned out to be a reality in many places. Premises have asked for one or two extra hours."

Mr Harrison said 85 out of 135 pubs and clubs had applied to open longer.

Elsewhere, in Cleveland, where the number of brawls and assaults linked to licensed premises has nearly trebled in only two years, from 538 to 1,699 - the largest increase in the country - Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said 47 per cent of its pubs and clubs had permission to open longer. The equivalent figure was 75 per cent in Middlesbrough. In Stockton, 55 per cent of all premises were granted extended hours.

Sedgefield Borough Council has granted 100 premises extended opening hours.

In North Yorkshire, 80 per cent of pubs and clubs in Richmondshire, 30 per cent in Ryedale, 40 per cent in Harrogate and 66 per cent of all venues in Hambleton have extended hours.

There are 600 pubs and clubs in Newcastle, 200 of which have extended licenses beyond 11pm at weekends - an increase of about 100.

In Durham City, between 30 and 35 per cent of premises have extended opening hours.

In Sunderland, two pubs applied for 24-hour licenses, but were only granted permission to serve drinks until 3am.

Police are prepared for any potential problems - but one of the reasons for bringing in the new laws was to end the closing-time 11pm and 2am flashpoints, which is when most trouble occurs.

Nationally more than 1,000 premises will have the right to serve alcohol round the clock, according to the latest Government figures.