A PROVOCATIVE poster which has been turning heads in Bolton town centre has sparked a war of words.

This sign advertising Diamonds lap-dancing club in Manor Street, and featuring a blonde woman in a low-cut black corset, has been dubbed “an embarrassment”.

Astley Bridge Cllr John Walsh, who was Mayor of Bolton in 2002 and 2003 and leader of Bolton Council’s Conservative group for 10 years, said the large poster does nothing for the town’s image.

But Sean Doyle, the club’s manager, defended the sign and said it is less sexualised than swimwear and underwear adverts which can be seen across the town centre.

Cllr Walsh said: “This huge poster is in the town centre on one of the principle routes out of Bolton, and it does nothing at all for the image of Bolton.

“These buildings were due to be demolished years ago as part of the council’s Church Wharf regeneration plans, but so far nothing has happened.

“It just illustrates how untidy and dreadfully embarrassing to Bolton that area is – and the sooner the whole area is demolished and we start to see some private sector development, the better.”

Mr Doyle argued the poster advertising his business is less provocative than ad campaigns and posters featured in the Bolton branches of Primark and Marks and Spencer.

He said: “There are advertisements for bikinis and summer wear on prime view in shops in the centre of town.

“These posters show women with far less clothes on, in more revealing poses, and are much more sexualised than our poster.

“The high street shops elsewhere in Bolton town centre also get a lot greater footfall than where we are located.”

Cllr Walsh said it was unlikely Bolton Council would be able to do anything about the poster under planning regulations, due to similar advertisements having been in place on the side of the building for a considerable number of years.