A POPULAR bingo hall will be pulled down after demolition plans were given the go-ahead.

Work to bulldoze the Mecca Bingo building in Breightmet Fold Lane will start in November — with an Aldi supermarket set to be built in its place.

In February, The Bolton News revealed that staff at Mecca only found out about the prospect of losing their jobs when letters were delivered to local addresses, informing them of proposals to build an Aldi store on the site.

The German supermarket is yet to submit a formal planning application but The Bolton News understands that this could happen later this month.

Mecca’s lease for the site also runs out this month but a spokesman for the firm said it was involved in “on-going discussions" with landlord Millfield Estates.

A consultation event was held earlier this year which saw Mecca staff and customers turn out in force to oppose the plans.

Along with the supermarket, there will be space for five smaller stores.

Concerns have been raised by residents and local councillors about the impact on the local highway network in an area which already has a Morrisons supermarket and a Home Bargains store.

A spokesman for Millfield said: “Everything is progressing as it normally would and the demolition application is really a formality.”

He said the Aldi plans followed “informal discussions” with Mecca last year after the bingo firm asked for a shorter lease with a lower rent.

He added: “The landlord could not accept the terms offered by Mecca so gave consideration to alternative uses for the site — it became clear that the development of a new foodstore and retail space was significantly more viable.

“We have since made our proposals to Mecca Bingo so the ball is really in their court.

“We have served notice on them and are waiting for a formal response — they still have the right to apply for a new lease.”

The landlord said it “deeply regretted” the manner in which Mecca staff found out about the impending closure of the business.

Breightmet councillor John Byrne said he had concerns about the impact the new supermarket could have.

He said: “The junction of Milnthorpe Road and Breightmet Fold Lane is already a bottleneck with two large shops, a health centre, a library and two nursing homes in the vicinity.

“I live in the area and so I have told the developers that they need to do something about that or it will be made much worse.

“When it comes to Aldi itself, I don’t think you can object to it on planning grounds as it will bring competition to the area — but I will go with the feelings of the residents.

“I do however think that the way the Mecca staff found out about the plans was very poorly handled.”

A spokesman for Mecca Bingo said: "We are in on-going discussions with our landlord and until these are concluded cannot make any further comment."