Objecting to all-night pubs costs £375 more

It is part of a move to stamp out opposition to round-the-clock drinking, according to critics.

When all-night opening began in November 2005, Labour promised to "tilt the rules" in favour of neighbours who wanted to object. Instead, pub chains and club operators have threatened to claim thousands of pounds in legal costs from anyone who opposes them.

Now a Government review which ends Monday will pave the way for a massive rise in the cost of objecting, for which there is no legal aid, according to the Liberal Democrats.

The party's culture spokesman Don Foster has already written to the new Ministry of Justice to protest.

"This dramatic increase effectively leaves the least well-off in our society without access to justice and the right of appeal," he said.

"Anybody looking to appeal against a nightclub in their street getting a late licence could be priced out of the system.

"How anyone can think a 1,500 per cent increase is an acceptable reform of the current system is quite simply beyond me. Is this what Tony Blair meant when he said there should be access to justice for all who need it?"

About 3,000 premises now have 24-hour licences while tens of thousands more are opening later than before.

Ministers insist round-the-clock drinking has been a success, with people having more freedom to choose when they drink and police and councils having extra powers to tackle irresponsible landlords.

However last year the British Crime Survey reported a 14 per cent rise in low-level violence and another survey reported that vandalism has doubled.

Home Office figures also show that alcohol-fuelled arrests rose by 86 per cent in six months.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Fees have been set very low and do not reflect the true cost of providing court services. It is Government policy to move towards full recovery of these costs."