RICHARD Carr's new restaurant faces calls for enforcement action after it opened to the public offering topless pole dancing displays and private dances.

The Future 3000 chairman has consistently denied rumours that he planned to turn Bournemouth's old register office into a lap-dancing club.

But councillors fear they have been misled after Wiggle Supper Rooms in Old Christchurch Road opened last Friday with half-naked women performing on stage and girls offering private dances.

Cllr David Smith, Central ward councillor, has asked planning officers to investigate whether Mr Carr is in breach of his planning conditions.

"In recent months, Richard Carr has severely criticised the marketing spend of Bournemouth Tourism for targeting the wrong type of visitor," he said.

"But if he thinks that opening establishments such as this will help Bournemouth's image and improve the numbers and type of visitors coming to Bournemouth, then he is very much mistaken.

"I'm not sure that nubile young girls going around offering private dances has much of a part to play in running a respectable restaurant but I don't think he will worry about that too much."

And Cllr Stephen Macloughlin, fellow ward councillor, said: "I am staggered that Richard Carr should try and bend the rules in this way.

"Bournemouth needs high quality establishments that will attract people of all ages and backgrounds into the town centre, not more lap dancing venues."

Sally Wilton, who runs employment agency Staff2000 opposite, said her "worst fears had been realised".

"They have been blatantly advertising for dancers for weeks so it was obvious this was going to happen," she said.

Mr Carr initially reassured residents there would be "no live dancing of any description" at the restaurant in Old Christchurch Road.

He later said it would host a cabaret-style show featuring dancers and comedians but insisted it would be "Bournemouth's version of the Moulin Rouge".

On Monday, he defended the restaurant, saying: "I have always said that there will be live entertainment. There are girls on stage and yes, you can have a private dance at the side of your table.

"I trade under A3 planning permission, the same as For Your Eyes Only, Spearmint Rhino and Rubyz.

"There is nothing within the planning laws that says you can't have entertainment in the restaurant, as long as the primary function is selling food.

"Why should I be singled out when Rubyz has A3 planning permission and has transvestites dancing on stage?

"For Your Eyes Only has A3 planning permission, Spearmint Rhino has A3 planning permission. I'm not doing anything different to any of those."

Michelle Henry, council spokeswoman, said: "We have received complaints regarding the use of Wiggle Supper Rooms and the alleged breach of conditions relating to existing planning permissions.

"We will be investigating these as a high priority. Should we find breaches of planning conditions, your readers can be assured that we will take all necessary action to rectify these. However we can't comment further until our investigations are complete."