A NEW late night bar could open in the town centre if plans are approved by the council.

Plans have been submitted by IMD and Associates Ltd, a Blackburn based architectural firm which has helped design pubs across the north west, to bring a disused building in Deansgate back into use as a public house.

The firm said they had submitted the plans on behalf of a brewery who would be running the site.

However, they could not disclose who would be running the new pub, if plans were approved, with The Bolton News approaching them for a comment.

The site, next to The Old Three Crowns and opposite the Popworld nightclub, on the junction of Deansgate and Crown Street, has been empty for some time, formerly operating as a Betfred betting shop, with the property on the market to let for a number of months.

The application is seeking to completely transform the inside of the site into a large open seating area, with a new bar area and cellar installed in the basement.

Developers intend to have the pub open past midnight every night, the planning application states.

From Mondays to Fridays the owners of the pub hope to open from noon to 1am, with this being extended to 4am on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays.

This is something that could be changed in the process of the application being assessed by the council.

The developers hope that bringing this site back into use will create five new jobs overall, which according to the application will include one full-time member of staff along with four part time members.

The company has helped to design a number of other pubs in the north west, and have worked closely with large breweries, such as Daniel Thwaites, Star Pubs and Bars, Heineken, and Marstons.

The architects are responsible for the design of two nearby pubs, having designed the Holcombe Tap in Bolton Road, Ramsbottom, and the Eagle and Child Inn in Whalley Road, Ramsbottom.

Further afield the firm has also designed the Bradleys Sports Bar, at AFC Fylde, and the Grey Mare Inn in Oswaldtwistle.

The plans were submitted to the council on May 24, with a decision expected to be made by July 18.