A Chorley Old Road shop is to be allowed to sell alcohol into the early hours despite opposition to its licence.

Sopron Off-Licence is to be opened at a site between the junctions with Battenburg Road and Beatrice Road.

In preparation Vanessza Ignacz, who ran a Halliwell Road shop for a number of years, applied for a licence from the council this year.

However there was opposition from the House of GB salon, which moved to the site to be further from another off-licence, which according to the management caused issues related to alcohol use and drug use.

In an email to the licensing team, the manager said: "Our premises is going to offer qualifications and it is going to have students from the age of 16 studying Level 2-4 Hair and Beauty training. Having a shop next door to our business will have an impact on our trade.

"There are already three shops on the block. I have heard a lot of rumours these type of shops sell 'Hippy Crack' balloons and canisters in the early hours and this is something which should not be promoted by anyone and we would not want our students around this."

READ MORE: Bolton: Chorley Old Road shop's alcohol licence refused.

Representing Ms Ignacz at a licensing meeting at the town hall this week, Tony Clarke reassured a panel of councillors Sean Fielding, David Grant and Debbie Newall she was responsible.

He said the opposition from the House of GB salon, as well as other opposition from two residents, was "speculative".

Mr Clarke said: "If there were any issues I'm sure this application would've received objections from the responsible authorities but there are no objections from the responsible authorities.

"In relation to the representations, whilst these are important, these are speculative. 

"There are a lot of claims in there but none of them with any proof.

"It is dangerous for people to say things like this without any proof."

At the licensing meeting Cllr Fielding, Cllr Grant and Cllr Newall retired to consider whether to approve the application.

They approved the application and Sopron Off-Licence is to be allowed to sell alcohol into the early hours as a result.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.