CONTROVERSIAL plans to re-open a troubled nightspot have been met with a storm of protests from residents.

People living in Mill Hill claim they had to put up with eight years of misery before the popular Sutty's Place was forced to close.

Residents have continually complained about revellers brawling outside the nightspot along with singing and shouting into the early hours of the morning.

There have also been reports of widespread crime of theft and vandalism.

In the worst incident a resident in Moorgate Street claimed two women broke down his front door in the middle of the night and started fighting in his living room.

The same person has told the council that vandals have daubed curry on his front door, smashed windows, damaged a car and burned a parked caravan.

Town hall bosses have received a pile of letters from residents with tales of intimidation and disturbance in the area.

A petition organised by people living in Elim Gardens has also been sent to the council. The club was forced to close when the company who owned Sutty's Place, Moorgate Leisure, ran into financial trouble and went into voluntary liquidation.

And a firm of Blackburn solicitors acting on behalf of the receivers have since applied for a new entertainment licence.

The receivers have also applied to Blackburn Council for planning permission to build houses on the site.

A resident in Slater Street told the council: "The establishment is a down-market nightclub with a clientele to match.

"There is noise and nuisance caused by drunken revellers making their way to the club.

"There have been drunken brawls on the club's car park and surrounding streets. There have also been numerous acts of wilful destruction." "I feel Blackburn Council has a duty to the residents of the surrounding area to revoke the licence.

"Nightclubs belong in town centres away from residents. The granting of a late night licence would be another smack in the face for the residents of the Moorgate area."

Blackburn police said the club had been run in a satisfactory way in recent years but added they have were called to more than 30 incidents in Moorgate Street last year.

Police and pollution control experts will get the chance to comment on the application when it is discussed at licensing sub-committee on Thursday, November 28.

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