AN ALL-MALE lap dancing bar and a new soul music venue have been given the go-ahead for late night opening by Blackpool licensing officials despite police objections.

The two clubs, Wicked and The Soul Suite, were both granted a Public Entertainments Licence during a meeting of Blackpool council's Public Protection Committee.

As featured in The Citizen , police objections over a late licence for the male lap-dancing club, Wicked, were dismissed by magistrates as "uncorroborated" during an earlier hearing.

The owner of the Chapel Street club, Richard Evans, 41, made an appearance before the committee for the final stage in the licensing process during this weeks meeting. He was granted the entertainments licence, subject to provisions, after further police objections were withdrawn.

The Soul Suite -- a three-storey nightclub and restaurant, situated close to the Metropole Hotel on the Promenade -- came up against similar police objections.

But police licensing officer, PC Andrew Parr, also questioned the suitability of the club's main licensee , Jason Lall , who they alleged has a 10-year-old criminal record for public order and deception offences.

PC Parr produced a 13-minute video of CCTV footage showing scenes of violence and bad behaviour in the resort which committee members declined to watch.

Mr Lall and partner Carol Hendry were granted the licence subject to training provisions, membership of approved club protection schemes and the undertaking of structural work to minimise noise concerns of council environmental officials.

After the meeting, Inspector Brian Horrocks said: "While we are dealing with these matters concerning drunkeness and violence, other members of the community are suffering through no fault of their own due to the fact that valuable police resources are tied up elsewhere."