PLANS to turn a former mortuary in Horwich into a storage and distribution unit for a mobile bar company have been approved by Bolton Council .

Escapade Bars, which already occupies the property in Longworth Road, has been granted permission by the council’s planning committee.

Representatives from the company, which supplies mobile bars and bar equipment, assured the committee they would adhere to their opening hours of 8pm until 7pm from Monday to Friday.

Cllr Joyce Kellet raised some complaints from residents about disturbances during the night when the vehicles were being loaded and unloaded.

Cllr Kellet said: “Whilst you cannot compare the spirits of the mortuary to the type of spirits being kept in the building now, I am very concerned for the residents who have complained about being woken up in the middle of the night.”

A representative from Escapade said: “We load and unload our vehicles between 9am and 5pm and we wish to add that 90 per cent of people we employ are from Horwich.

“We feel it can only benefit the community.”