STUDLEY residents are up in arms about plans to extend the opening hours of a lively village pub.

Villagers living next to the Nags Head are concerned that extended opening and serving times will result in increased drunken and yobbish behaviour.

The popular watering hole already serves until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights but is looking to extend its licence until 2am, seven days a week. It also hopes to serve alcohol until 3am over bank holiday weekends, on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

In addition, the pub will extend its entertainment licence to correspond with the new opening hours and wants to install a 60-minute "wind down period" following sale of the final drink.

Jon Hutchinson, who lives next to the Redditch Road pub, said: "We are strongly opposed to the extension of the licence at the Nags Head.

"At the moment the pub serves until midnight but people hang around until well after 1am, shouting in the streets and getting up to all sorts. What will happen now they stop serving at 2am and do not throw them out until 3am."

He added: "It's unacceptable that people should have their sleeping times dictated by a pub."

Stratford District Councillor for Studley, Hazel Wright, will speak on behalf of the residents at a licensing committee meeting in September.

She said: "I am gathering information from residents and I want to be as up to date and informed as possible when I report their views at the licensing committee.

"My first responsibility is towards the residents."

A spokesman at the pub did not wish to comment on the matter.