Time has been called in Moseley - the Birmingham suburb with a Bohemian reputation - after councillors decided the village has more than enough pubs, clubs and licensed restaurants.
Members of the city council cabinet yesterday decided to declare Moseley a saturation area under the 2003 Licensing Act - effectively blocking applications for new drinking establishments.
The decision follows a campaign by residents, community associations and the police, who for several years have expressed concern about noise, drunkenness and traffic congestion late at night.
A street drinking ban is already in place in the area to be covered by the saturation order - the centre of the village and the village green.
Moseley is Birmingham's third saturation area, following Broad Street and Hurst Street, but it is the first time restrictions will have been applied outside of the city centre.
The decision prompted speculation that a number of other Birmingham suburbs will follow the example of Moseley and ask for protection against new pubs, bars and clubs.
Council leader Mike Whitby said he would welcome approaches from communities who were concerned about the over-provision of licensed premises although he pointed out that in his own ward, Harborne, the number of pubs has fallen recently from 14 to 11.
David Osborne, chairman of the council licensing committee, said the order would not represent an outright ban on new licensed premises in Moseley but would introduce a presumption that applications will be refused unless it can be shown that approval would not lead to crime and dis-order or threaten public safety. The change of emphasis will make it far easier for the committee to reject applications.
The Licensing Act allows councils to take into account the cumulative impact of licences if an area is becoming "saturated with premises of a certain type", making it a focal point for large groups of people and thereby creating problems of crime, disorder and nuisance.
Coun Osborne (Lib Dem South Yardley) added: "This is not something that the licensing committee has just dreamt up. It is based on evidence we have received from the Moseley Society and the police that there are already 10 pubs and six licensed restaurants within half a mile. That is about saturation point.
"They requested a special policy be instituted in the same way as exists in Broad Street and Hurst Street. We have listened to them, weighed the evidence up and decided that is okay.
"If there are other suburban areas that want to be considered then they should do the same as Moseley, which is to bring evidence before the committee and get the backing of the police."
Coun Osborne said anyone applying for a new licence in the centre of Moseley would have to prove that the proposal would not lead to further saturation of licensed premises.
