DRINKERS can now enjoy at tipple at their local from 10am after North Durham magistrates gave their blessing to a pub chain's bid for earlier opening.

But after JD Wetherspoon won approval to serve alcohol an hour before the current 11am opening time in the North Durham area, other pubs were warned the decision was not a carte blanche for all licensed premises to follow suit.

The Wetherspoon group is seeking to achieve conformity at its 618 pubs across the country, by being able to serve alcoholic drinks along with breakfasts, coffee, tea and toast from 10am.

Many regions have won the earlier opening licences over the last six months, and the latest licensing bench to grant approval was the North Durham justices at this week's monthly sitting.

Solicitor Terry Hamer made the application on behalf of JD Wetherspoon.

The company has one existing pub in the licensing area, The Company Row, which opened in Consett town centre last October.

But it expects to open a second, in the former Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society premises in North Road, Durham, later this year, with plans in hand for a further pub in Peterlee.

Mr Hamer said: "Out of 618 premises nationally 313 are now able to open an hour earlier and I suspect that figure is rising all the time as I'm told the Sunderland justices granted approval for two Wetherspoon's premises in the city and one in Washington in the last few days.

"It's a national policy of the company and so far only ten licensing divisions have refused applications, for one local reason or another.

"I would hope there are no particular problems with disorder, but the police have been consulted and have no objections."

Licensing bench chairman Basil Ingleby said: "Clearly we have given some thought to this and we do believe ourselves to be forward thinking in this county.

"But we make the reservation that while we can't prevent it being used as a precedent for other applications, we would express the view that each application would be treated on its merits.

"Some premises are more volatile than others. Just because we have granted this one, it doesn't mean we will do the same in each case."