A PEDESTRIAN walkway will not be built at a Blackrod nursery after councillors rejected it because of fears it could lead to the closure of the town’s Conservative club.

Playdays Daycare Nursery, in Church Street, wanted to install bollards along the side of Blackrod Conservative Club to create a footpath for children and their parents to use when going to and from the nursery.

But the club had objected to the plans because the bollards would block deliveries of beer barrels.

Blackrod Town Council had also objected to the proposals and Blackrod Educational Trust called for the path to be located on a nearby stretch of grass instead.

At Bolton Council’s planning meeting, David Warner, trustee of the Conservative club, said there was no support for the proposals in Blackrod.

He said that without deliveries the club, which has been running for 107 years, would have to close and three people would lose their jobs.

“The Conservative club fully supports a dedicated footpath for young mums and their children, but not at the expense of our business,” he added, calling for the path to be built on the grass nearby.

Cllr Lindsey Kell agreed with Mr Warner and said: “Pubs and social clubs in the area are really suffering. The British Legion closed down only last year. I don’t think the proposal is suitable and I would support using the grass.”

Cllr John Walsh said it was “not a well thought out solution” and said there were better alternatives in the area.

Councillors voted unanimously to refuse the application.