A Farnworth business could be allowed to open until 2am - but not until 4am - after the approval of an application by the council.

Applicant Muhammad Irfan applied for a late-night licence for Frankies Chicken, on Market Street, towards the start of this year.

Mr Irfan asked for the business to be allowed to open until 2am for most of the week, but until 4am on Fridays and on Saturdays, in contrast with the planning permission for the site which allows it to open 11.30pm only. If approved he said he would re-apply for the planning permission to bring all of these times in line with one another.

There was opposition from another of the area's businessmen on the basis of the impact on crime and disorder for which Mr Irfan's agent, Lukman Vika, said there was "no evidence".

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He said: "There is already a late-night economy in Farnworth. There is no evidence that the customers of Frankies Chicken will be more likely to be responsible for crime and disorder than those of any other establishment or that by being in the area after a certain time they will have a propensity to commit crime or to instigate disorder."

On Friday, the application was up for consideration by a Licensing Sub-Committee of councillors David Chadwick, David Grant and David Meehan.

Cllr Chadwick, Cllr Grant and Cllr Meehan approved the application as long as the opening times were no later than 2am on every day of the week.

The decision said: "The Sub-Committee considered that this area is becoming residential and, whilst there would be some level of noise when living in a town centre, the opening of the premises until 4am would cause public nuisance to residents in the surrounding area, including those residents who may be living above the premises itself."

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Separately there is an investigation into the business after a complaint to the council that it is not a restaurant, as per its planning permission, but a takeaway.

This investigation into Frankies Chicken is ongoing.

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