Police and landlords have joined forces to toast the Government proposals to allow Millennium revellers to drink all night.

Pubs may be given the green light to open their doors at 11am on Millennium Eve, and continue pulling the pints for up to 36 hours. The planned extension in licensing hours follow proposals from a police licensing committee.

And it could become a regular feature of subsequent New Year's Eves, the Home Office said.

"We expect the vast majority of licensed premises will want to stay open well beyond closing time...to welcome the start of Year 2000," said Home Office Minister George Howarth.

PC Arthur Swaine, of York police, who sits on the Association of Chief Police Officers Licensing sub committee, said: "It will be easier for us to police if all the pubs stay open for 36 hours rather than pubs closing and drinkers moving on to those with later hours."

Licensees would not be obliged to be open all hours, but could decide when they wished to be open.

Trudy Pilmoor, manager of the Spread Eagle, York, said: "I would welcome this and if there was enough demand then we would stay open.

Shaun Collinge, of the Maltings, York, said: "On the whole I think this is a good idea. I will have to think this through, but at the moment I would say I would try it."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.