 Police
believe a huge fire that ripped through a nightclub in West Sussex was
started deliberately.
More than 100 firefighters from Surrey and Sussex tackled the blaze
which destroyed the recently-opened Redd lap dancing club in Burgess
Hill.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue said the intensity of the fire above the
Martlets Shopping Centre on Tuesday had put the lives of their staff at
risk.
Sussex Police have appealed for witnesses to contact them.
Det Insp Stu Hale said: We believe Redd's was intentionally targeted
by arsonists, and would urge anyone who was in the vicinity of The
Martlets shopping precinct from around 1am on Tuesday July 15, to come
forward and let us know what they may have seen or heard.
Update: Arsonist Caught on CCTV
28th July 2008
Police have released a still image of the moment an arsonist appears to
accidentally set himself alight whilst starting the blaze at the Redd
club in Burgess Hill.
CCTV footage caught the suspect in action as they left the club after
starting the fire.
Police say this person may have suffered burns or smoke inhalation and
witnesses are urgently being sought by police. Detectives discovered
petrol cans at the scene last week and are now appealing for more
information.
DI Stu Hale said: We are particularly keen to hear from patrol
station operatives who may remember selling full or empty green or red
fuel canisters, some days or hours prior to approximately 2am on Tuesday
July 15. Your information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
We are also keen to trace the person pictured in the CCTV stills. Do you
know of anyone who may have suffered smoke inhalation or other more
serious effects caused by fire?
Anyone with information about the arson should call DI Hale at Haywards
Heath 0845 60 70 999.
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Plans
for a LGBT centre offering health and social care services, business
support and an exhibition space in Soho are moving forward.
The
lease of Burnham-On-Sea's Shakers Night Club has been put up on sale.
The club and bar on the High Street has been closed for several months
and has undergone a substantial refurbishment.
Nutters
have won their long-running fight to stop a Boldon company opening a lap
dancing club in Durham City.
West
Ham MP Lyn Brown has added her voice to the nutter opposition against a
proposed lap dancing club in Stratford.
Plans
to give greater powers to local communities to determine whether lap
dancing clubs should be set up in their area will be unveiled by the
Conservatives today.
In
the UK, there has been much discussion over how adult entertainment
should be regulated on the Internet. Parliament has been considering
some controversial legislation that would make it a felony to download
what some British politicians have been loosely describing as "extreme
pornography," and the BBFC — which has been critical of the proposed
"extreme porn" law — is launching a voluntary program that will extend
its rating system to online entertainment, including erotica. 
Feminists
will doubtless be appalled at the news that 27 years after the original
Playboy Club in London closed its doors, the bunny has bounced back.
In
the last two months, Westminster Council licensing inspectors have
raided and closed down two illegal hostess bars, which lured men in
under the false premise of adult entertainment then charged them
exorbitant rates for soft drinks in the company of hostesses. One of
these hostess bars was also an illegal gambling club.
