THE long search to find a new site for Bolton's traditional town centre funfair has hit another hitch.

Council chiefs thought they had finally reached agreement for the fair to be held on the Octagon surface level car park, off Great Moor Street, between Christmas and New Year.

But now an official complaint has been made by the Benefits Agency, whose Elizabeth House office is right next to it.

However, leisure services committee councillors last night decided they were going to recommend to their planning colleagues that they still give the go-ahead later today. A letter from Alison Inman, Benefits Agency customer services manager, was presented to councillors.

It said they would wish to register "very strong disagreement" because it would "greatly disrupt our business and impair our ability to pay benefits on time."

Staff are now working in the building until 7pm at night and it is feared they would be unable to concentrate when taking the 1,500 telephone calls a day they receive.

The letter goes on: "We realise that the rides are not allowed to play music until 5pm, but we feel the general noise levels of the fairground will be high and will be only feet away from the building."

Leisure chiefs had to abandon plans to hold the fair on Le Mans Crescent after complaints from the police.

But vice-chairman Cllr Steve Hynes said: "This is only for a one-year trial. I cannot think of a site in the town centre where someone would not be disturbed."

Liberal Democrat councillors voted against the move.

Leader Cllr Roger Hayes said: "You turned down Le Mans Crescent after complaints from the police about disturbance."

But Labour Cllr Michael Kilcoyne hit back: "In the case of Le Mans Crescent, it was an operational issue for the police. Our social services staff have had to put up with the noise for years when the fair was held on Cheadle Square."

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