A pub near the Warwickshire County Cricket Ground at Edgbaston has been refused permission to open at 7am following claims that earlymorning drinkers en-route to Test matches would disrupt the lives of nearby residents.

Members of a Birmingham City Council licensing subcommittee dismissed an application for extended hours by Sir Harry's pub in Pershore Road on the grounds of noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

The pub had also applied to open until 1am and to stage live music. Both requests were refused.

The decision followed an appeal by Edgbaston city councillor Deirdre Alden who told the sub-committee that the lives of more than 60 elderly residents of a neighbouring sheltered housing complex would become intolerable if the pub was allowed to serve alcohol early in the morning and late at night seven-days-a-week.

Coun Alden (Con Edgbaston) said: "It is bizarre that the pub should want to open at seven in the morning. There can only be one reason and that is to sell alcohol to people on their way to cricket matches at Edgbaston. The fear is that people will spend two or three hours in the pub before they get to the match and that anti-social behaviour is likely as a result."

Coun Bruce Lines (Con Bartley Green), chairman of the sub-committee, said the Cavalier Pub company, which owns Sir Harry's, had failed to comply with conditions in the Licensing Act 2003 requiring licensed premises to prevent crime and disorder.

He added: "The extended hours requested would be detrimental to the amenity of local residents particularly in terms of noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour given the proximity of the premises to a major sporting venue."

The application was decided in the absence of Cavalier's representatives who did not attend.