Artwork at a new gallery could go up in smoke - at Oxford's Old Fire Station.

Earlier this month, Apollo Leisure opened the Gloucester Green Gallery at the popular George Street arts centre and nightspot. But inspectors have expressed concern about fire safety, claiming unsuitable heaters have been placed too near works of art.

In a report to the city council leisure committee, which is being held on Monday, John Bolton, head of leisure warns councillors: "The heaters, as well as being potentially damaging to artworks, reduce consid- erably the space available for their display.

"The dado rail and vertical lines of the wall panels adversely affect the app- earance of the artworks displayed on the walls."

Comments made by visitors in a visitors' book have echoed the complaints made by artists.

Fire doors in the OAP club and in the theatre have failed to meet current criteria, according to John Bellenger, team leader of the council's building design and con- struction team.

As a result, he issued Apollo Leisure with a defects notice and said work would have to be carried out before a fire certificate was issued.

Martin Corbishley, group property development manager for Apollo Leisure, wrote back to the council to say he was refusing to accept the warning letter as a defects notice, pointing out that objections to the gallery were only made shortly before its completion.

He has asked the company's architect to liaise with the fire officer over any "outstanding issues".