CAB drivers angry about a link-up between a private taxi firm and a major nightclub are stalling over their threatened strike action.

The cabbies want to put a stop to Rapid Private Hire's sub-office inside nightspot Ikon, on St George's Road, Bolton.

But any industrial action is on hold while they assess the situation.

The link-up has been running for the past two weeks with revellers able to pre-book taxis from the club without having to walk into town.

But the Bolton Hackney Association has held a meeting with chairman Charles Oakes warning that drivers could take industrial action if concerns about clubgoers safety were not addressed.

He said: "Where are these people going to go when the club shuts its door for the night?

"Will the club open its doors so that revellers can sit inside in comfort, or will people just be wandering about the streets?"

He questioned whether the private hire firm could cope with demand with only a small number of cars on its fleet.

He said: "Ikon is a massive club that holds 2,500 people at full capacity. This taxi firm can't cope with those numbers.

Asif Vali, who owns Rapid Private Hire, said: "There is enough trade for everyone to be happy. If hackney cabs want to pick up from Ikon they are welcome to do so." He added that other private hire firms had been invited to take advantage of the arrangement at Ikon.

Mr Oakes conceded that a loss of earnings was another reason why hackney drivers were opposed to the link up.

He is asking for a series of conditions imposed on the mini cab firm's licence.

He added: "Strike action is on hold, but if things deteriorate around Ikon, it wouldn't take much for my drivers to withdraw from the area as we already have a lot of problems there."

And he vowed to send a hackney cab representative to Ikon if difficulties started to mount.

Andrew Fisher, licensing officer from Bolton Council, confirmed that a series of conditions had been agreed by Mr Vali.

These include ensuring that customers purchase a valid ticket from the indoor kiosk and revellers being marshalled to their vehicles waiting outside.

He said: "We are imposing these so that the arrangement is run and managed properly. The business needs to be run practically otherwise the venture will never work."