A NEW wine bar opening in Culcheth has been given permission to open for as long as 41 hours at a time.

Bacchus Wine Lodge will now be able to open from 9am on New Year's Eve until 2am on January 2, and from 9am on Bank Holidays until 2am the next day.

Members of the borough council's development control committee voted in favour of approving the application after bar owner Paul Wright argued it was only fair he was allowed to open as late as some pubs do in the village.

Planning permission to change several shop and office units at 25 Common Lane into a two-storey wine bar were approved in October on condition that customers left the premises by 11pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays and by midnight on Mondays to Saturdays.

But Mr Wright said there had been a mistake on the planning application and reapplied for longer opening hours.

His plans have met disapproval from Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, which complained a proposed outdoor seating area was too close to the road and a narrow pavement, and that loud music would disturb the neighbours.

But planning officers who recommended its approval said conditions would restrict use of the outdoor area until 10pm and prevent the bar from changing its use to a nighclub.