TEENAGE drunkenness in Ilkley has been slammed amid calls for late night licenses to be opposed.

Councillor Martin Smith hit out at the country's 24-hour drinking culture after witnessing the alcohol-fuelled escapades of young people in the town on Saturday night.

He is now urging residents to oppose an application for a new bar and for an extension of hours at another town centre pub.

Cllr Smith says he was "astounded" to see youths and a girl drunk in the town centre at 8.45pm.

The bid for a new bar in Station Plaza and an extension of hours at the Midland Hotel in Station Road are unconnected with the scenes Cllr Smith witnessed, but he believes any extension of drinking could lead to further problems.

And he is angry his position on Bradford Council's licensing committee means he is unable to formally object to the two applications.

He said: "On Saturday, we dined out with family in Ilkley town centre, and after the meal, we came out at 8.45pm and walked to the car park and were astounded by the number of well-lubricated youths and a girl in distress, suffering from an excess of alcohol.

"On the way home in the car, we heard the ambulance in town."

"I was surprised at the state of these particular individuals [so early] in the evening," he added.

"One girl was obviously in a degree of trouble by the state of her. I was concerned.

"Then I realised there are two late night drinking applications in at the moment – one for the Midland and one for the former Kipling's restaurant.

"We don't need these. We are not in the centre of a mega city – we are a rural town. Ilkley is not a late night centre and midnight is late enough, as there are many homes, flats over shops or in converted buildings actually within the town centre."

Cllr Smith said he had been told he cannot object to the applications because he is a member of Bradford Council's licensing committee, even though he will not be one of those looking at the two Ilkley applications.

"I am in a legal battle with the solicitors on whether a council member can represent his community.

"I would ask the public to look at the webpage and object on the grounds of noise and nuisance."

The Midland Hotel has applied to Bradford Council's licensing department for a variation in its license.

It wants to open for films, indoor sports, boxing or wrestling, live music, recorded music, performance of dance and supply of alcohol, from 9am to 2am on Monday to Sunday and from 9am to 3am on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and at Bank Holiday weekends.

A Guiseley-based bar chain has applied for planning permission to convert the former Kipling's restaurant in Ilkley's Station Plaza to a new bar. Councillors have been told the bar would provide 15 full-time and 20 part-time jobs.

The Station Plaza application is for 11pm closing on Monday to Friday and 1am closing on Saturday.