GWENT publicans rejected the idea of 24 hour drinking - only two of the 50 we asked will apply for a licence to serve alcohol at all hours - but half the pubs will apply for some extra hours at the weekend.

And that should come as a great relief to Chief Constable Mike Tonge who told the Argus last Monday: "Alcohol is behind up to 90 per cent of crime that occurs between 11pm and 3am when pubs and clubs kick out, so I have all my officers on the street at that time to offer security and reassurance.

"But I fear the situation would become unmanageable if kicking out times varied over a 24-hour period across Gwent - I'd much rather see the trouble concentrated within the same few hours each week."

Two publicans said they may apply for the licence but were unlikely to stay open the whole 24 hours.

Roger Wilson, owner of Newport bar the Louisville in High Street, said: "I'll apply for a licence but I wouldn't want to say open for 24 hours - I'd like to be able to close when I want."

And Jacqueline Griffiths, landlady of the Rifleman's Arms in Blaenavon, is hoping to turn her premises into a bed and breakfast. She said: "We will apply for 24 hours but we'll restrict opening hours within that, but we want to serve drinks to residents only with the new licence."

Of the others, views were split with 24 pubs, many of them isolated rural pubs, intending to apply for an extra hour or two on Fridays and Saturdays to allow regular drinkers to stay a little later without travelling to the city.

But 22 publicans rejected the idea outright. Many said they wouldn't want to attract drunks from elsewhere looking for a long night of drinking, while for others it was an economic issue and they felt the costs of heating and lighting and of hiring staff would overshadow potential profits.

Richard Bloomfield, manager of the Britannia in Abergavenny, said: "We will be applying for an extension of two hours at the weekends. I think this will make town centres easier to police so that it will benefit local people. The way things are at the moment we have trouble hotspots everywhere at the same time around 11.30pm. Under new rules we'll see people wandering home at different times of night which means fewer chances of conflict."

And Carol Chapman, landlady at the Dodger Inn in Chepstow Road, Newport, said although she wouldn't be applying for a licence she thought it was a good idea. She said: "I think it is a good idea to move to a more relaxed, European-style of licensing.

"It will stop the exodus of people after last orders and help reduce the noise and the problems caused.

"I don't agree that it will encourage binge-drinking - if people want to binge drink they are going to do it anyway. In fact, it may help as people won't be rushing to drink up."

But landlord of the Crown Inn in Raglan, Leighton John said: "I don't believe in extending the licensing hours. We're meant to be trying to cut down on the opportunities for binge drinking not increasing them.

"Police powers are already stretched and I don't think this move will help.

" Plus, I'm a family man and I'm trying to put more family values back into the pub trade so, no, I won't be staying open later."

Meanwhile, Alyson Lane, landlady at the Carpenters Arms on Chepstow Road, Newport, said she had no plans to apply for a 24-hour licence.

She said: "We may possibly apply for it in the future, but there are a lot of things to consider - such as staffing. We do hold a lot of special events, like birthdays and fundraisers, so a 24-hour licence would be useful for those."

And in Pontypool's Globe Hotel, landlord David Wilcock said he won't be applying and he doesn't think other pubs in the town will either.

"This town is very quiet during the week and at weekends there's only a marginal increase in custom.

"Most people on a night out leave for the clubs in Newport at 9pm. There's no demand in Pontypool for extended hours. We've got a job filling the pubs as it is."

Several pubs said they would consider consulting with their customers on the issue. Landlord Bill Hardwick, of the Greyhound Inn in Usk, said: "We're a local pub for local people so we're considering asking them what they think."

Lyn Babbage, of the Six Bells on Stow Hill, Newport, said: "I would never use the 24-hour licence as I would probably only get the idiots in."

And Janet Prosser, landlady of the Nightingale in Bettws, agreed saying: "We don't want drunks from everywhere."

Graham Pugh, landlord of the Halfway House in Pontllanfraith, said: "I wouldn't apply for a 24-hour licence but I may go for an extra hour serving time and an extra hour drinking up time.

"After gauging the opinion of customers, I think this would be a popular thing to do."