SHOCKED councillors cannot believe a pub with "horrific" noise levels managed to extend its opening hours after they refused its initial application.

Authority leaders have criticised the decision to allow the Pig & Drum in Lowesmoor, Worcester, to open longer after it won an appeal to magistrates.

The court also overturned a refusal by the city council to allow the Garibaldi, in St John's, to stay open longer.

Council bosses are annoyed because under powers transferred from the magistrates to local authorities under the Licensing Act 2003, they now decide applications for drinking hours.

However, magistrates can overturn such decisions on appeal.

The Pig & Drum will open until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights and until midnight on other nights of the week, despite howls of protest from nearby residents.

"The worst thing is that the decision was unanimous - the entire board agreed it shouldn't open longer," said Coun David Clark, chairman of the licensing committee.

"For magistrates to overrule the decision, despite the overwhelming evidence against the Pig & Drum, beggars belief."

There were 14 letters of opposition sent to the council, which turned

down the extension in a meeting Coun Clark has now dubbed a "complete waste of time".

He added: "It's crazy. The committee said no because there were so many complaints - ranging from loud noise, described as 'horrific' by environmental health officers, to drunks.

"There are many very experienced councillors on the committee. It makes a mockery of them. It has shaken everyone's faith in the system."

Terry Ford, from the council's environmental health department, presented a dossier stating the Pig & Drum was too loud.

Magistrates also said in a report to the committee that further complaints could lead to closure.

Pig & Drum landlord Andy Loizou said: "What a lot of residents don't realise is that there are several pubs and clubs around here that open until 2am or 2.30am.

"I have been landlord here for eight years. Of course there is going to be a little bit of noise here - this is a rock pub, what do the residents expect?

"All the actual 'trouble' comes from other parts of Lowesmoor. I think the magistrates were very fair."

Meanwhile, the Garibaldi has been allowed to stay open until 12.30am on Friday and Saturday nights and until midnight on other days of the week.

Landlady Lorraine James said: "We're a well-run pub and were disappointed we had to appeal to magistrates, because we only had one complaint."

Asked whether the decision made a mockery of the new rules, a spokesman for the Department for Constitutional Affairs said: "The case has been brought before a court of law and the magistrates' decision is not there to be debated upon. We do not comment on decisions made in open court."