AN amusement arcade in Boscombe will be converted into a shop, if plans are approved.

The applicant, Mr N Nadarajah, is seeking change of use permission for the Neptunes family entertainment centre in Sea Road.

According to the design statement, the current use is "on the decline" and the building "in a state of increasingly poor repair", and the owner is seeking to move his store from across the road into the premises and offer "a wider array of goods".

It is proposed the new store will be open between 6am and 11pm.

The application states: "The applicant already responsibly runs a unit diagonally opposite the site and now seeks to move into these bigger premises to continue the successful growth of his business."

A separate application for an alcohol licence will also be submitted.

The planning statement claims that the existing business does not have the legally-required segregation between gaming machines for children and gambling machines for adults.

However Neil Holland, the arcade's operations manager, said the firm was operating in accordance with its licence.

"I know the law with regards to licenced premises," he said.

"The area is accessed via an entrance marked with over 18's signage. The area cannot be accessed any other way than marked zones.

"If we were operating incorrectly then licencing would have visited and stated otherwise."