AN OXFORD landlord has blamed “council jobs-worths” for stopping him opening his pub early on May Morning, after he applied for the licence just 24 hours too late.

Nicholas Bassett, of the Port Mahon, in St Clement’s, thought he had applied in plenty of time when he lodged his request on April 14 to open up for breakfast at 6am on Sunday, May 1.

But because of the number of bank holidays caused by the late Easter and the Royal wedding, officials wrote back the next day to tell him they did not have the necessary 10 working days to process the request.

Mr Bassett said that Town Hall “pen-pushers” were harming the pub trade by not showing any flexibility.

He said: “A lot of Pubs open on May Morning for breakfast. We did good trade last year opening at 6am.

“It’s frustrating that at a time when pubs are struggling, there is no room to give us a few more hours’ opening.

“There is no logical reason, it is just the council being jobsworths.

“They do not want to work together, and it seems to be anti-business.”

Mr Bassett saved the pub in October 2009 after it had been closed for a year.

He added: “I know technically I’m in the wrong, but they should show a bit more flexibility.”

Dozens of licensed premises around the city centre, including the Port Mahon’s sister pub, the Fir Tree, in Iffley Road, open early on May Morning.

Thousands of revellers gather at sunrise to hear the Magdalen College choir sing from Magdalen Tower.

This year, Oxford City Council has decided to let Magdalen Bridge stay open for the first time since 2005, when 40 people were injured during the celebration after jumping into the River Cherwell below the bridge, despite warnings that the water is very shallow.

Pubs in the city are looking forward to a bumper weekend, with the Royal wedding on Friday, April 29, followed by the May Bank Holiday on Monday, May 2.

A spokesman for the city council said: “The Licensing Act 2003 states 10 working days notice of the application must be submitted to the licensing authority and police. Unfortunately, if we allow this application through we will set a precedent that others may choose to follow.”