A CUMBRIAN family brewery is investing £100,000 to help its Bolton publicans get to grips with new Government licensing legislation.

InnVentures, the leased and tenanted division of Jennings Brothers plc, based in Cockermouth, Cumbria, is putting up the cash to help its licensees deal with the costs of the new Licensing Act.

The company, which owns the New Inn, in Firs Lane in Leigh, and the Spread Eagle at Turton, predicts that it will cost £1,000 per pub to implement the new regime.

It will use the money to pay for legal and advisory costs, site plan production and management time being put into helping with personal and premises applications.

The new Licensing Act has brought about the need for lease holders to apply for new licences for themselves and their premises between February 7, 2005, and November 2005.

Instead of a Justices Licence issued by magistrates, the new legislation will require a premises licence and a personal licence.

The new licences will be issued by local authorities.

Licence applications will need to be accompanied by a fee, a site plan and an in-depth operating schedule, outlining opening hours and measures to tackle law and order, health and safety, avoidance of public nuisance and the protection of children.

John Houghton, Jennings pub operations director, said: "The new Licensing Act will see licensees trying to navigate a minefield of legislative paperwork, which needs to be handled very carefully.

"While thousands of licensees could be left to their own devices, those who hold Jennings' InnVentures leases and tenancies will receive our full legal and administrative support, and Jennings' free trade accounts may also benefit from our expert advice."

InnVentures' estate has more than 120 pubs, from the Lake District to Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire and the North-east.