Guests at an Old Sodbury hotel will be able to buy alcohol 24 hours a day after changes to its licence were approved.

Visitors to the Cross Hands Hotel, Tetbury Road, will be able to purchase drinks at any time of day after South Gloucestershire Council granted an extension to the licence.

The hotel’s owners, Greene King, first applied for the extension on April 17 but suffered delays after failing to respond to questions.

A report to SGC’s licensing sub-committee said both trading standards and the police received no response to their queries about age-verification policy despite ‘numerous’ calls. Both initially objected to the application.

The report said: “According to its own website, Greene King is the country’s leading pub retailer and brewer, with over 3000 pubs, restaurants and hotels, and it is therefore disappointing that this licensing authority has had communication issues and a failure to respond to requests from Trading Standards, the police and this licensing authority within the consultation period.”

At a meeting of the council’s licensing sub-committee on Tuesday, June 26 the application was approved after the owners agreed to conditions proposed by trading standards and the police.

A council spokesperson said: “While objections were raised to the initial application, a series of conditions were proposed for the amended licence, which the licence holder agreed to, which satisfied the Committee that they could grant the variation as applied for.”

Conditions attached to the licence include a Challenge 25 proof of age scheme being adopted, with all staff being trained in the prevention of under-age sales.

Nobody under the age of 18 will be allowed to work at the premises from 9pm-7am.

Greene King have been approached for comment.