Pubs are having a much tougher time than other businesses in extending their opening hours as residents and the police object en masse to later opening.

The Government estimates 61,560 (40%) licensees have applied to vary their hours and nearly a third (30%) of these requests had attracted challenges.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport welcomed the figures and said it showed people were getting involved and challenging licensing requests.

"It's important to remember that just because a premises puts in a bid to extend its hours it doesn't mean it'll be granted," said the spokeswoman.

The Local Government Association (LGA) also dismissed the notion that people weren't getting a say in the development of their local night-time economy.

A spokesman said councils had been writing to residents, and premises had to advertise extensions on site and in the local paper for 28 days.

"The great thing about the new legislation is if you don't agree with the council's policy you can vote them out. You didn't have this ability with the previous system," the LGA spokesman said.

Westminster City Council cabinet member for licensing Audrey Lewis said that although many residents previously accepted the nuisance of having a pub near them, faced with longer opening they were now objecting. "By and large restaurants do not cause many problems. It's the fallout from drunkenness at pubs that people are against."

Although extending drinking hours in pubs and bars is causing great alarm among sections of the media, the British Beer & Pub Association maintained most of its members were after operational flexibility and not 24-hour opening.

Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said: "I think we are seeing a lot of misinformed reporting. Arguing that pubs don't want to work with their local communities is ridiculous."

DCMS said latest figures show 153,900 licensees (81%) in England and Wales made the 6 August conversion deadline.

By Chris Druce