Councillors on the south coast have defended plans to introduce the UK's largest cumulative impact zone, claiming it will benefit small and community pubs.
But Brighton & Hove City Council has been forced to temporarily shelve its cumulative impact zone, which aims to encompass huge swathes of the city centre and would be the largest in the UK, following objections from pubs.
The British Beer and Pub Association was among those who complained that the proposed zone had been expanded since the initial consultation.
Under a cumulative impact policy, which was laid out as part of the Licensing Act, councils are allowed to refuse new licences for the sale and consumption of alcohol in specified areas.
Licences can be granted however if publicans can prove they will not contribute to disorder.
The proposed zone in Brighton encompasses the centre of the city and large areas of surrounding residential streets. Consultation on the proposal has now been re-opened until a final report is submitted to the licensing committee in February.
However, Green Party councillor Rachel Fryer argued that the zone wouldn't be bad for pubs and might even benefit others. She said: "It will actually encourage more local and community pubs where there are usually less problems.
"We are more concerned about the large chains - where arguably less money stays in the community. So we think it could make things better for the smaller publicans."
Local police asked the council to implement the zone in order to tackle alcohol-related disorder and the majority of residents responding in the consultation are said to be in favour of the zone.
Fryer added: "There's a huge problem for residents particularly on the seafront who are constantly woken up by revellers."