To date, the owners of The Fleece have still not submitted a formal planning application to Wigan Council. However, I have received information that a meeting was held yesterday at the venue between the owner and Wigan Council officials. This could suggest that a valid planning application is imminent. There may also be an attempt, as previous, to bypass planning control. As soon as I receive confirmation I will be in touch what needs to be done and how. Nearly 500 letters have been delivered to local residents and more will be done advising of what is being proposed. I am receiving phone calls and text messages from residents not online expressing their support and thanking me for my endeavours. We need as many residents/people as possible to sign our petition. Please encourage friends and family to sign. Use Facebook, twitter, email etc. Finally, the following letter is published in todays Wigan Evening Post from me which is relevant to this issue :- "Dear Editor, I am writing in follow up to your article WEP 25/08/15 "Views requested on license shake up" in relation to Wigan Council's proposed policy for licensed premises and licensable activities due to be implemented from January 2016. It is very clear Wigan Council has lost control of its responsibilities as a Licensing Authority and of its own licensing regime which has resulted in serious detrimental impacts in our towns in Wigan Borough. Wigan does not even have a current and up to date Licensing Policy Statement. Wigan Council's last Licensing Policy Statement expired in 2014. This new draft policy, when implemented will come into force in 2016. Therefore, under what guidance is Wigan Council operating for 2015 ? It seems none. Despite the fact that Wigan Council say on their own website there will be a public online register of licensed premises etc available for inspection from May/June 2015, the online register will now not be available until next year. In the meantime, we have the farce of King St in Wigan and Leigh Town Centre where many refuse to visit because of safety. We have a "free for all regime" in Wigan Borough where any premises can seek any license no matter time of day and/or consequences to local residents. Wigan Council in their proposed policy are introducing two "Cumulative Impact Zones" namely Wigan and Leigh Town Centres effective from January 2016. The introduction of these zones for new or variable applicants only means that Wigan Council does not recognise the adverse effects of existing licensed premises in these area's already and fails to consider other options to reverse the detrimental impacts of too many and uncontrolled licensed premises. It will also encourage a "mad dash" for ever extreme licenses in these area's before the new rules are implemented despite the existing problems that already exist. Its about time the Wigan free for all came to an end. Wigan Council as a Licensing Authority got its house in order." Thank you for your support. Mike Moulding