PLANS to create a new club shop and install a giant video screen at Ewood Park are set to be approved by councillors.

But Rovers' hopes of converting the former club shop at the back of the Blackburn End of the ground into a sports bar, open six days a week with a capacity for 275 people, look likely to be knocked back after complaints from Ewood residents.

The plans are seen by club chiefs as the latest stage in their modernisation plans at Ewood which will eventually lead to the building of a 15,000 seat new stand, exhibition facilities and a hotel.

A new club shop would be built at the corner of the executive car park, opposite the existing club shop, meaning the loss of between 30 and 35 current parking spaces. The new video screen would be placed at the Walker Steel Stand/Darwen End stand corner of the ground and may be used for the live screening of away matches as well as being used at all home games.

But members of the Ewood and Fernhurst Community Association say the proposed new sports bar would increase traffic and noise in the area - especially in the evenings.

A spokesman for the association said in a letter to the council: "The application for a change of use of the previous shop area to a sports bar has horrendous implications for noise and nuisance levels late at night.

"These two planning applications only intensify the continuing conflict of interest between those residents immediately surrounding the stadium and Blackburn Rovers."

Members of the Blackburn with Darwen Council planning sub-committee will consider the proposals at a meeting on Thursday at the town hall.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.