A shop in Bury has been granted permission to sell alcohol despite concerns about anti-social behaviour.

Express Mini Market on Bolton Street was granted an off licence by the council despite police warning it could lead to breaches of a public spaces protection order in the town.

Along with permission to sell alcohol, the mini market requested to extend its opening hours, meaning it would remain open from 6am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Ahead of a licensing hearing sub committee hearing yesterday, Tuesday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) suggested a number of revisions to the application, including that children under 16 should not be allowed in the shop after 8pm without an adult.

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The committee, which includes Cllr Joan Grimshaw and Cllr Glyn Marsden, heard police had concerns the off licence could also lead to breaches of Section 141 of the Licencing Act, the sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk.

June Clarke, licensing consultant at JMC Licensing, on behalf of the shop’s licence holder, told the hearing the condition was "onerous and unnecessary".

She similarly objected to the police suggestion of a reduction in opening hours from 8am to 8pm on Friday and Saturday saying customers at the near-by bars were unlikely to leave at closing time to buy more alcohol from the mini market.

Ms Clarke said: “Why would customers leave the pub to go next to buy beer which is much more expensive.

“My client will be at home in bed before the customers finish their last pint.”

She added that it would be unfair to force the shop to close early on the two busiest nights of the week.

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PC Peter Ecclestone, Bury district licensing officer, said the shop was located in an area known for "flashpoints" for alcohol related violence and disorder.

He said: “You’re going to get people who are already intoxicated and their going to come in wanting to buy more alcohol.

“When they’re refused that’s going to lead to an altercation.”

The committee, chaired by Cllr Gavin McGill, granted the shop the licence under a number of conditions, including that staff do not display alcohol in the window of the premises.

The panel rejected the police’s suggestion that the shop exclude under 16s from the premises after 8pm but said its overall decision was "finely balanced".