Getting ready to party.

(From Leicester Mercury)

Byline: FIONA DRYDEN EDUCATION CORRESPONDENT

Pubs and clubs are gearing up to welcome in 2012 with one of the busiest nights of the year.

Despite the economic downturn, pub owners said they were still expecting to see lots of people out celebrating. The Orange Tree, in Leicester's High Street, is expecting a few hundred people through its doors over the course of the evening.

Bar manager Jon Glover said: "We've decided to stay open throughout the day and night so that there isn't a lull.

"People are still spending their money, although there used to be one big night where everyone would finish work at the same …