AN application for a sex shop licence will be considered next month for premises at Bolton's Enterprise Centre.

The licence request, lodged with council officials earlier this month, relates to a business unit at the centre on Washington Street, off Deane Road.

Managers at the centre, which houses offices for Bolton social services, have refused to comment but have now notified other businesses at the centre.

The company which submitted the application, in the name of Sue Westwood, is believed to operate a mail order service for phone and internet customers but still requires a licence.

The application was presented on April 11 and any objections have to be made by May 9.

Councillors will then consider the request at a licensing committee meeting on May 22.

Although the council is unaware of any objections, Andrew Fisher, of the licensing unit, said that it was by no means certain that the application would be granted.

"In the past, some of the applications have attracted a number complaints," he said.

"But that has become less true lately. There were no objections to the application for a licence for a shop in Newport Street last year and that was retail premises. We believe that the new licence is for a service that operates on a mail order basis. If that is true, then there wouldn't be people visiting the premises to buy goods."

"However, the council has a certain amount of discretion and they have shown recently that they are willing to exercise that."

Mr Fisher said that the application could be rejected if it would be inappropriate to the character of the area, if councillors felt it was not a suitable venue or if there were too many sex shops in the area.

An application lodged for a sex shop licence in Farnworth in 2001 was rejected on the grounds that the location was deemed to be too close to a school.

Tony Higginson, of Empire Tools, based at the centre said: "It's quite a shock I suppose, but I'm not bothered about it at all.

"Somebody's got to make a living and as long as they're not doing something that's illegal then it's okay with me."