Oxford pubs bid to open at 7am (From The Oxford Times)

Oxford pubs bid to open at 7am

7:00pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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Three pubs in Oxford could open their doors at 7am daily from next month.

JD Wetherspoon’s The Four Candles in George Street, The Swan and Castle in Castle Street and The William Morris at the Cowley Centre will all apply to open earlier as part of a national move by the chain to extend breakfast hours.

The final decision will rest with licensing authority Oxford City Council.

Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin said some venues across Britain would serve alcohol to cater for shift workers when the changes come in on April 28.

Tonight Tony Cope, Thames Valley Police’s licensing officer for Oxfordshire, said: “Whether they open at that time depends on their licensing conditions.

“They will have to apply for any changes. I don’t think it is going to be a problem for us because the pubs still have to stick to their licensing objectives. He added: “The one thing it does raise is an ethical question of whether we want people drinking at 7am.”

Mr Martin, who today announced a 17.5 per cent rise in profits for the company, said: “I think by opening at 7am it will be a significant boost, especially since many of the towns and suburbs we operate in don’t have other coffee chains open at that time.”