LICENSING application forms are winging their way to more than 400 premises in Weymouth and Portland after a Government hold-up.

Staff at Weymouth & Portland Borough Council had information packs ready to distribute to licence holders a fortnight ago in preparation for new legislation.

But they delayed sending them until new laws came into effect yesterday because standardised forms only arrived from the Government on Saturday morning.

Now staff in the licensing department are sending out the forms and packs to any venue that sells alcohol - such as pubs, clubs, off licences, supermarkets and restaurants - as well as such places as village halls and cinemas.

The move comes in a major shake-up of licensing for opening hours, alcohol sales and entertainment rules in the Licensing Act.

Sue Moore, council licensing manager, said no applications had been received yet because forms were still going out.

She said: "The forms and packs should all be out by midweek.

"There has been constant interest and it is good that people are switched on.

"People were calling all day on Friday and there were a couple of dozen phone calls on Monday morning."

The new act encompasses six previous licensing functions performed by councils and magistrates, such as alcohol sales, public entertainment and opening hours.

Councils will now deal with all functions.

Venues that sell alcohol must fill in a 20-page form for a general licence which will cover their alcohol sales.

But they must also apply for a premises licence for the venue and personal licence covering staff.

One of the personal licence holders must be designated as the premises supervisor.

Venues that do not sell alcohol, such as village halls, cinemas, theatres and takeaways, must apply for a premises licence to govern conditions of opening.

Every venue must re-apply for a licence by August but the process is simpler for those with exiting alcohol licences that wish to keep the same hours.

Mrs Moore, who has carried out roadshows to tell licensees of changes, said most pubs and clubs expected to keep their hours the same but those changing would only add a couple of hours.

She added: "It's tending to be 3am or 4am.

"Nobody seems to want any more than that at the moment."

Any changes to hours will be advertised and notices will go up on the front of venues advising of the changed hours.

New hours will be decided at the council and will only go to a licensing committee if objections cannot be resolved through mediation.

Venues will have six months to lodge their applications and the new hours are not due to come into force until November 8.

Licences will then last for the life of the venue, although an annual inspection fee must be paid.

In the future, venues will be able to apply at any time to extend their hours to open later permanently.

They can also apply for one-off late opening through a temporary event application to the council.