TEA or coffee are the two drinks most of us turn to first thing in the morning. But later this month York residents will be able to swap their Starbucks latte for a Wetherspoon's Leffe as its pubs start serving alcohol from 9am.

The idea of being able to order a post-breakfast beer in a pub is a novel one. Nevertheless, this should have been expected. It is logical move after the Government sanctioned 24-hour licensing.

Any fear that the Postern Gate and Punch Bowl's early start might prompt an outbreak of morning drunkenness are misplaced.

Wetherspoon's no music, no smoking, real ale outlets - hardly the first choice of the young binge drinker - have long opened at 10am without trouble.

Airports and supermarket off-licences already serve alcohol around the clock. The 9am pub opening time is an extension of this liberalisation. Few of us are likely to take up the new freedom, but that does not mean we should deny it to the shift worker or others.

More worrying is the length of time the pubs will be open: for 17 hours on Friday and Saturdays.

We have one recent example of a Friday where pubs served alcohol from breakfast time till the early hours when England played Argentina in football's 2002 World Cup.

That led to 12-hour binges, and the resulting mayhem turned York city centre into "Planet Zog", according to a police chief.

Licensees will argue that was a one-off. We must now wait to see if they are right.

Updated: 11:11 Thursday, November 03, 2005