THE go-ahead has been given for one of Bolton town centre's worst eyesores to become a plush new pub and restaurant. Planning councillors have approved the development on the site of former Boar's Head pub on Churchgate.

The popular pub was closed eight years ago along with the Gatehouse Cafe and the Chip Inn because the 200-year-old buildings were declared unsafe.

Now councillors have backed a scheme from Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries.

But there was a warning that the council would keep a close eye on the design because it is in the Churchgate conservation area. Labour Cllr Mrs Prentice Howarth said: "Over the years, there have been some horrendous buildings allowed along that stretch of Churchgate."

An objection had been put in from Peter and Doreen Green, the owners of the Sandwich Inn next door. They feared the pub beer garden would lead to a loss of privacy and be noisy.

But Mr Richard Cowley, deputy environment director, said: "It is a town centre site and if you live in the town centre, you can't expect the same level of quietness as in the suburbs.

"This is a very useful step forward to get rid of a derelict site."

But Mr Green said after the hearing: "We have lived in the town centre all our lives and it is not the development itself we object to, but the beer garden.

"We are glad something is being done there at last. But I don't see why we should be in the position where our next door neighbours will, in effect, be having a party in their garden every night."

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