HEALTH leaders in South Lakeland are reserving judgement on the relaxation of the licensing laws and extended opening times.

Director of Public Health for the Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust, Dr Frank Atherton, admitted that it was difficult to predict what impact longer opening hours would have on the health of South Lakeland drinkers, while Dr Ray McGlone, clinical director of accident and emergency at Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust, said it was too early to see if the change would impact on local A and E departments.

Mr Atherton said he hoped the relaxation in the law would relax drinkers and help change the binge drinking culture.

He explained binge drinking could have both an immediate and long term damaging effect on health.

In the short term there were problems with violence, sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies while in the long term it could cause psychological and social damage.

"As far as pub opening times are concerned I don't think there will be much difference because people can drink around the clock anyway by buying alcohol from off licences," he said.

"Instead we need to look at the availability, cost and culture of drinking to get to the source of the problem.

"We should be looking at banning happy hours' where people are encouraged to save money and drink as much as possible in a short space of time.

"We also need to overcome this present culture where it is cool to get very drunk and turn up the next day at work with a hangover."