BLACKBURN'S first lap-dancing club is set to open - between a youth advice centre and a college campus.

Education chiefs at Blackburn College today vowed to oppose the move by the owners of Cubes, Duke Street, to change itself into Velvet Lounge, a lap-dancing bar which will open from 5pm.

And the Government body which runs the youth advice centre next door to Cubes -- which is in Blackburn's 'Cultural Quarter' -- said it was appalled by the proposals.

The bar is asking for alterations to their public entertainment licence so it can offer table-side dancing to punters.

Blackburn with Darwen Council sent staff to look at venues across Lancashire before deciding what regulations it would impose on such a venue in the town.

It cannot stop them opening just because it opposes them, but can decide what is and isn't allowed inside.

Under the proposals which will be discussed on Wednesday, Cubes would have a capacity of 380 people.

One hundred people could be accommodated in a VIP lounge, where dancing would take place.

CCTV would be installed in all dancing areas and performers would not be allowed near windows.

Details of the plan provoked angry reactions from the youth service Connexions and Blackburn College.

John Stonehouse, operations director for Connexions said: "We think this is wholly inappropriate next to our centre. Naturally we oppose anything that degrades women.

"I am particularly concerned about the fact it wants to open from 5pm. That is early."

Jane Cowell, vice-principal of Blackburn College's Higher Education Centre, also in Duke Street, said: "We opposed this venue before when it was causing noise problems and we oppose this change of use. "

Conservative councillor Graham Pound warned: "I think it would have an impact on the health, both physically and morally, of the borough."

Local businesses, however, say that if Blackburn is to have a lap-dance bar, then a side-street location is the best place. Earlier this year, traders in Sudell Cross, which is 50 metres away from Cubes, opposed a tattoo parlour opening on the street.

A spokesman for John Hargreaves Butchers said: "It is on a sidestreet and if it is to go anywhere, it is best it is out of the way."

Nobody was available to comment at Cubes, which was taken over by new managers after its previous owner fell foul of local residents for not controlling noise levels coming from the club, leading to complaints and threats that the licence would be revoked.

Health chiefs have already opposed the development of lap-dancing bars in Blackburn on the grounds that it could lead to men leaving the bars sexually aroused, resulting in women using the town centre 'running the gauntlet of sex-hungry men.'

Director of public health, Dr Jim Paris, said: "My concern is that you will have men who have been teased and tantalised coming out of this bar at night, meeting young women who are maybe behaving differently because they have had something to drink."