CLUB-goers in Bolton will soon be able to dance the night away ... until 6am.

Town centre nightclubs The Temple and Club Mondo in The Village complex on St George's Street have been granted an entertainments licence for Fridays and Saturdays which will mean that they can stay open until dawn.

Owner Mr John Musso sees it as the first step towards Bolton having a night life to rival big cities.

He said: "This is really an important step forward for Bolton. It will mean that we can at last compete with Manchester.

"The council has been very forward thinking in allowing us to do this. It will completely open up a new night-time economy."

The hours extension only applies to entertainment. The bar will shut at 2am. It will mean that cabarets, dancing and other entertainment can continue until daybreak and soft drinks will be sold.

Cllr Cliff Morris, chairman of Bolton's licensing sub committte which gave the go ahead, said: "There were no objections from the police or anyone else and we decided that this was happening in other towns and Bolton had to move with the times.

"We understand there will be breakfasts served, so it might just sober them up before they leave."

Chief Insp Ian Campbell of Bolton police added: "We were happy to go along with what was happening in other towns. But we will be keeping a watchful eye."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.