The application for Heaven, which opened on Beastfair last December, is recommended for approval by Wakefield Council planners subject to a "suitable" shop front and entrance being installed to improve the Grade II listed building.

Reports to today's planning committee said the unauthorised change of use from a wine bar to the lap dancing bar had removed the building's glazed shop front in favour of an enclosed wooden front to cover a stage from view.

The reports add: "This creates a dead frontage in a predominantly shopping town centre and it can be argued that this harms the overall retail character and function of the centre in addition to the listed building itself and conservation area and should therefore justify a refusal."

Seven objections have been made to the application on the grounds that the change of use was carried out without consent and it is "inappropriate" in an old market town's conservation area.

Complainants also said the lap dancing bar attracted the wrong type of people into town, according to planning reports.

Pontefract North councillors Philip Thomas, Pat Garbutt and Clive Tennant all objected and the latter two requested the application be heard at a public hearing.

Coun Tennant said: "I believe an application like this, in a historic place like Pontefract and a conservation area, needs to be heard by the experts."

The planning report also said the change of use would reduce noise nuisance as the music volume was lower in a lap dancing bar.

Two further retrospective planning applications, concerning alterations made in and outside the former Style Bar and listed building consent, are pending the outcome of the change of use bid.

Tony Lumb, managing director of Heaven's owner A&J Inns Ltd, declined to comment.