BASINGSTOKE will be one of the first towns in the country to be subjected to tough new rules on the licensing of bouncers in pubs and clubs.

A new national body, the Security Industry Authority, is set to take over responsibility from local authorities for determining the suitability of applicants - and Hampshire is the first county where the scheme will be piloted.

From early next year, only SIA licences will be valid for Basingstoke door staff, with existing council licences ceasing to be valid.

Applicants will be subjected to ID and criminal records tests. They will also be required to attend training and pass exams on aggression management, crowd control and first aid before they are granted a licence.

The borough council's existing procedure for licensing bouncers hit The Gazette headlines in March last year when it was reported how council-registered doorman Brian Aubrey, from Sherborne St John, was jailed for six years for a savage attack on a man as he queued for a late-night kebab.

Cllr Brian Gurden, who was leader of the council at the time of Aubrey's conviction, admitted the council had been aware that Aubrey had previously served time in jail for GBH when his licence was granted.

But under the new rules, according to SIA spokesman Robert Buxton, people with violent pasts will be unlikely to be licensed.

Mr Buxton said: "If you have previous convictions for assault, drug dealing or rape, you have shown that you are not really the person for the job."

He added: "We understand there will be people who choose not to re-apply for their licence."

Cllr Gurden, who is now deputy leader of the council, said: "I welcome the news that there is to be a pilot of some new arrangements. The fact that Basingstoke is part of that is also good news.

"In principle, it can only be good that the industry is taking steps to improve standards."