THE STORY on the Gazette's front page this week about the Capone’s nightclub in the centre of town reflects an issue being seen throughout the country.

Since the licensing laws allowed 24-hour drinking in the UK, an ever-growing trend of later and later drinking, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights can be seen.

With people drinking cheap alcohol before they go out and then carrying on drinking until 5am in the morning, it is bound to cause problems.

For Capone’s owner Stavros Antonio, it is a simple business decision to keep hold of his section of the market.

His argument is if pubs stay open until 2am, then he has to stay open later, and face the consequences over intoxicated customers.

But is a simple business case enough to dissuade those who wish to either close it or reduce its hours?

For neighbours who never visit the establishment, Mr Antonio’s claims he is filling a hole in the market will not put them at ease when they hear fights and sirens outside, nor when they attempt to sell their property as has been claimed.

The police budget for looking after people over the weekend must be huge, so must the hospital's and ambulance's, should they be picking up the tab?

Saying that, people visit the club in their hundreds, spend their hard-earned money how they see fit, which filters back into the economy.

Ultimately it is a cost issue. Can Dursley afford to close Capone’s? Or can it afford not to?