A southend pub which was the first in Essex to apply for a late licence under the new laws has had its application turned down.

Police objected to the Falcon pub on the seafront serving alcohol until 12.30am fearing that a potentially extra 100 people on the streets at 1am would leave an already stretched division at breaking point.

The Falcon is a traditional pub with a regular middle-aged clientele and a maximum capacity of 100. It usually has 20 to 30 leaving at closing time.

The police accept the pub has no history of trouble, but said it was located in Marine Parade in the middle of a hotspot for alcohol-related violence and that it's customers could become victims when leaving at 1am.

Southend Council's licensing sub-committee refused the extension.

Landlady Sharon Davies said: "The police barrister made it sound like we going to be full to capacity and have loud music until 1am seven days a week which we obviously are not. Their whole case was based on a lack of police resources - nothing to do with us."

Jeremy Veitch from TD Ridley and Sons, the small family brewing company, said the pub had demonstrated its responsibility by already contributing £500 towards the SOS bus.

He said: "It should be regarded as an asset to the town and provides a haven for local residents compared to the larger venues that are open later which cater for younger people.

"How can it seriously be believed that 20 to 30 middle-aged people leaving the premises slightly later than normal affect policing. We have had no objections to this except from the police."