The auditoriums of City Screen must stay dry, licensing justices have decreed.

They turned down a bid by the riverside three-screen complex to allow customers to drink beer and wine while they watch films.

And they refused City Screen permission to extend the sale of drinks to non-members.

Immediately after the hearing at York Magistrates Court, the cinema's opera-tions manager Alastair Oates said it was considering an appeal.

"We feel that they (the justices) failed to understand what we are trying to achieve.

"This can only be to the detriment of the people of York."

Police did not oppose the licensing application after they came to an agreement with the cinema over possible conditions to the proposed new licence.

At present, the bars in the complex off Coney Street are only allowed to sell alcohol to members and people with film tickets. Drinks can only been consumed within certain areas, which do not include the three auditoriums.

Representing City Screen, Michael Taylor told York Magistrates Court the applica-tion was made because customers wanted it and to help the management of the complex.

Senior staff gave evidence of how they would police drinking in the auditorium and restrict drinking to one drink per customer per film.

After visiting the cinema, justices declared that giving the cinema a pub licence instead of the more restricted on-licence it currently holds would change its nature too much.

The complex was and would remain a cinema.

Giving reasons for refusing the application, justices said there was insufficient supervision for policing the consumption of drinks in the auditorium.

newsdesk@ycp.co.uk