MANAGERS and staff at Bolton-based Yates's Wine Lodges are being asked for their views about Millennium Eve opening. The growing national chain, which has its headquarters in Manchester Road, has still to make up its mind about the big night which leads into the new century and Millennium. There are signs of unease throughout the industry about the economics of opening venues with increased staff costs and the possibility of drunken trouble in jam-packed premises.

One chain, JD Wetherspoons, which has a popular outlet in Nelson Square, Bolton, has already announced that its pubs will shut for the evening between 8pm and 8.30pm on December 31.

Other operators are also considering what to do in a climate where some staff are demanding four to five times the hourly rate and certain DJs want £500 to £1,000 to do their stuff.

Yates's currently have 88 outlets in major towns and cities throughout the country.

They are planning another 20 this year.

A spokesman said they had not yet made a decision about Millennium Eve opening.

He said: "We are in the process of consulting with our branch managers and staff and we shall decide whether or not to open after we have considered all aspects - including commercial factors."

A Wetherspoons spokesman said they had decided not to open last April.

"We decided we just wanted to give the staff the evening off," he said.

"And we did not want to spend weeks of executive time deciding what to do about one evening in the year."

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