Major changes could be on the cards at a Carlisle supermarket, as it launches a bid to change its opening and selling hours.

Morrisons, on Kingstown Road in the north of the city, has applied to Carlisle City Council for a variation to its licensing conditions.

The supermarket currently has permission to be open from 6am to midnight, Sunday to Saturday.

It is now hoping for the go-ahead to open from midnight to 11.59pm, Sunday to Saturday.

The Carlisle branch of the supermarket chain currently has permission to sell alcohol - for the consumption off the premises only - from 6am to midnight, Sunday to Saturday.

However, it is now seeking permission to sell alcohol from midnight to 11.59pm, Sunday to Saturday, for the consumption off the premises only.

In addition to this request, the Kingstown Road branch of Morrisons has applied for permission to sell "late night refreshments" between 11am and 5am, Sunday to Saturday.

Legally speaking, "late night refreshments" is defined as hot food and drinks, served "above the ambient air temperature".

This application for a variation of its licensing conditions would apply to the sale of food and drink for consumption both indoors and outdoors.

Morrisons, which operates nearly 500 stores across the UK, is yet to confirm the exact nature of its plans for its Carlisle branch.

At present, the store is open from 7am until 10pm each day, apart from Sunday, when it is open from 10am until 4pm.

This is not the only branch of Morrisons in the county which has recently submitted a bid for such changes.

The Penrith branch of the supermarket, on Brunswick Road, was last month given permission to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, and also permission to sell "late night refreshments", again from 11pm until 5am.

These variations in conditions were granted by Eden Council's licensing committee, though the application was not without objections from nearby residents.

One resident, a Mrs Ferguson, who lives on Elm Terrace nearby, said: “Increasing access to alcohol is not going to contribute to a healthy and well-ordered society."

However, the police did not raise objections to the plans.

Richard Taylor, head of Gosschalks’ licensing department, who submitted the application, told the licensing committe Morrisons was keen to be a "good neighbour".

He added Morrisons had agreed to provide a security guard and block access to car park spaces immediately behind houses on Elm Terrace if alcohol was being sold between midnight and 6am.