A FORMER nightclub which closed down while at the centre of a drugs conspiracy has been given planning permission to re-open as a lap-dancing club.

Angelo’s, in Fleet Street, closed after it had its licence revoked by Swindon Council’s Licensing Panel in 2011 following years of serious crime at the venue.

The closure was triggered by the arrest of former manager Guglielmo Rossi, who later admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine between September 5 and October 6 2011.

But now Carmine Di Liso, who used to run the Godfather Club, in Victoria Road, has taken over the lease and is hoping to make Angelo’s a gentleman’s club.

Home Plan Design Services, acting for Mr Di Liso, obtained council planning permission for the venue to open between 9pm and 2am from Monday to Wed-nesday and 9pm to 4am from Thursday to Sundays.

But the club’s management still has to obtain approval from the council’s licensing committee.

Rod Navarrete, of Home Plan, said: “Planning permission has been granted and is available for the public to see.

“There will be a process of obtaining a licence, that application has been made.”

Swindon has two other pole-dancing clubs – Foxies, in Theatre Square, and Dream Lounge, in Victoria Road.

Last year the Adver reported the council wanted more powers to restrict an increase in clubs.

The premises fall under the same law used to licence bars and off-licences. But the council plans to re-classify them as sexual entertainment venues, meaning they will fall under the legislation which regulates sex shops and sex cinemas.

This means the authority will be able to reject applications on wider grounds, notably that the character of the area is inappropriate for a club, or there are too many already in the area.

Ward councillor Junab Ali (Central, Lab) said: “Fleet Street has a lot of boarded up shops and business is slow down there.

He said the club would be all right if it goes through the planning and licensing process and is a legitimate business rather than a boarded up shop.

A spokesman for Swindon Council said: “The licensing committee is arranging a date for this to be heard but the fact it has been given planning permission is no guarantee.”

Mr Di Liso was unavailable for comment but speaking when his Godfather club opened in 2009, he said: “It will not be sleazy and there will be no drunken teenagers in here.

“We want nice customers looking for a relaxing and safe drink – I don’t want people to think they can’t bring their wife in here.”