East Oxford residents are to be asked whether they think there should be a ban on new pubs, bars and clubs opening in Cowley Road.

Oxford City Council currently operates a "saturation policy" in the city centre, meaning limits are placed on the number of new licensed premises.

The council is now proposing extending it to Cowley Road in a bid to but the brakes on further bars and pubs.

Residents, traders and landlords are to be asked their thoughts on the plans, with consultation being launched today Nuala Young, chairman of the council's east area committee, said: "We would like to have a tool whereby we can try to stop the bother that is suffered by the residents from late-night drinking and people moving from drinking venues to the student areas.

"This has been one of the top priorities that residents have asked about. It's not just noise, there's also a lot of car vandalism and it has affected the quality of life for a lot of people."

Consultation will last until September 22 and one of the first opportunities for people to have their say will be at the area committee's meeting on Wednesday.

Council licensing manager Tony Paine said the city centre policy had proved successful. He added: "It has been tested twice by two separate applications for bars and each time those applications have been refused on the basis of the special saturation policy."

Feelings about the proposed policy were mixed among licensees in Cowley Road.

Arron Whan, landlord of the Bullingdon Arms, said: "I think it's a fair point. We have got enough of these types of business at the moment. I would like to see some more individual clothing shops that would give the Cowley Road a but more character.

"Entertainment and restaurant-wise we have got plenty to offer already."

But Clinton Pugh, who owns Cafe Coco and Kazbar, in Dawson Street, said: "I think they're completely in the wrong, because all it does is drive up rents. They should allow competition and I tend to think they shouldn't interfere.

"People should be free to change their sites to whatever they want to operate there."

Meanwhile, Mr Pugh's plans to bring street cafe culture to Cowley Road look set to get the go-ahead at Wednesday's meeting.

The committee is being recommended to grant a street cafe licence for Cafe Coco and Kazbar, after lengthy consultation.

Mr Pugh already has planning consent to introduce al-fresco dining, but needs a licence as well.

He said: "I hope this will bring a close to it. If we get the licence, it will just open up the mouth of the Cowley Road, bring life and energy to it, so people who have crossed over Magdalen Bridge don't just turn around and walk back the other way."

Neighbours have raised concerns about noise and asked for trading outdoors to end at 9pm, however council officers are recommending a 10pm cut-off.