THE "Gay kiss storm" at the IndieGo club is symptomatic of the homophobia which has besmirched Bolton for the past half-century.

In 1963, the town was the scene of Britain's last great gay witch hunt before the collapse, in 1967, of the discredited law which prohibited any gay sexual activity in any circumstances.

Then in 1998 came the infamous "Bolton Seven" trial in which people were prosecuted for sexual activity which would have been perfectly legal had they not been gay men.

Despite the wide national publicity which this blatantly discriminatory prosecution attracted, it was condemned by only one of the town's councillors and only one of its MPs.

Fortunately, this lack of enthusiasm for change did not prevent further law reform and the award to each of the victims of £15,000 compensation.

The situation at the Club IndieGo leaves little wonder that the local Lesbian and Gay Policing Initiative have had to establish a dedicated homophobic hate crime reporting line. When the club owner has to confess, "we have had problems arise where customers have confronted gay male couples", one is driven to wonder how, if gays cannot feel secure in what I take to be a well-managed club, then how can they possibly feel safe in the town's streets and open spaces?

Anti-gay violence in the streets is, of course, a matter for the police, but anti-gay discrimination in clubs and pubs is, or ought to be, a matter for the licensing authorities, and is something that should be brought to their attention - hopefully with the help of the Bolton Evening News.

Allan Horsfall

Honorary President

Campaign for Homosexual Equality