Two lap dancing venues are amongst the first in Scotland to fall foul of the country's new licensing laws.

Spearmint Rhino, rival Seventh Heaven, and The Glaswegian Bar, all in Glasgow, have been denied licences under the new act which comes in on September 1.

The decisions mean they will have to shut up shop on that date unless they appeal to the courts. They have been told the refusal follows evidence collected by licensing standards officers (LSOs), which were newly created under the act to form part of the local authority's general enforcement team. It aims to bring breaches of the law and policies to the attention of the licensing boards.

Glasgow Licensing Board heard how early last month CCTV footage showed two dancers at Spearmint Rhino stripped naked, breaching local policies. The board heard that officers whilst conducting an inspection relative to the code of conduct, viewed premises' CCTV and witnessed two dancers removing their lower garments to knee level thereby exposing their genitalia. In a separate incident, officers also witnessed several dancers making considerable contact with patrons whilst performing.

Spearmint Rhino, was also reported for breaching low cost alcohol policies and allegations an employee exposed her breasts while handing out flyers in Glasgow city centre.

LSO evidence also resulted in the refusal of a licence under the 2005 Act to Seventh Heaven after LSO evidence that eight dancers had removed lower garments, the board making its decision on the basis that refusal prevents crime and disorder and protects and improves public health.

Both lap dancing venues had explained that the staff involved in the incidents were previously Edinburgh based, where full nudity is permitted, and had been reprimanded while the board said it fully expected appeals to the sheriff.

Evidence that led to the decision on Friday to refuse the Glaswegian in Bridge Street a licence included allegations of sectarian behaviour, intimidation of LSOs and local residents, and ineffectual management. The court heard that on one occasion the arrival of the LSOs was announced by the DJ over the speaker system as The Noise Police and was followed by customers shouting obscenities about the Pope to the tune of Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline while the officers waited to speak to management.

All three are expected to appeal which, if ongoing by September, allows them to continue trading until there is an outcome.

Update: Glasgow licensing board imposes a moral code on lap dancing

29th June 2009.  Based on article from theherald.co.uk

The head of Glashow's largest licensing authority has declared war on lap dancing clubs despite allowing one venue to remain open. Stephen Dornan, chairman of Glasgow Licensing Board, said he was issuing a last chance to adult entertainment venues after granting a licence to the club Forbidden and delaying a decision on another until August.

But industry sources have accused Councillor Dornan of running a show trial and attempting to use the board to impose a moral code in line with that supported by Glasgow City Council.
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Observers had expected that after the last board meeting all lap dancing venues in Glasgow would have had their licences revoked. At the meeting, the board heard further LSO evidence in relation to Forbidden, formerly Legs'N'Co, including one incident in March when inspectors witnessed a dancer removing her lower garments to above knee level and that considerable contact was also made between the dancer and patron.

After being told the dancer had been immediately sacked after the matter was brought to the attention of the management, Councillor Dornan said: This issue of dancers doing what they're not supposed to do keeps reoccuring.

It doesn't happen here (full nudity). This isn't London and Glasgow isn't turning into Soho. We have conditions and if you're not complying with them then go to London, Edinburgh or Birmingham. It's not acceptable to say that the dancers have come from other areas where this is permitted and don't know our rules. This behaviour won't be tolerated in Glasgow and members here support that.

Diamond Dolls will find out in August whether its conversion' to the new regime will go ahead after the board raised last minute objections about changes to the lay-out which it said now included a private dance area.

But afterwards one leading industry source said the board were making little effort to conceal their efforts to rid Glasgow of adult entertainment venues. He said: It's all just about running a show trial. Councillor Dornan has made clear his distaste for these venues but its not about his taste or the morals of the council. It's about the law.

A bar owner has caused nutter 'outrage' by bringing- lap dancing to a well-heeled Cheshire town.

Pete Tapper is opening ST Lounge on Wilmslow's main shopping street.

It has a licence to open until the early hours and will feature high-class striptease, according to the club boss.

Tapper promises to attract an upmarket and well-behaved clientele to the Grove Street bar - but says he is not surprised his plans face opposition. Tapper, who runs another lap dancing club in Stoke-on-Trent called ST1, said: I know this will generate a lot of interest, both positive and negative. But people have nothing to fear. It will be of interest to customers but also to what I call the 'blue rinse brigade' and I imagine I will come up against some opposition in Wilmslow. It will be a full-time lap dancing club but will not cause disruption in the area."

Coun Frank Keegan said: It is quite appalling to have this in the centre of Wilmslow, which is a family town. It is totally inappropriate. The proprietors say it will cater for a more mature customer - by that I take it they mean dirty old men. Maybe there will be a run on macs in the local shops. Hopefully, it will go bust, it won't attract customers and will wither on the vine.

The first lap-dancing club may yet open in  Crouch End - as a new bid to host adult entertainment is launched.

Owners of Music Palace, in Tottenham Lane, have lodged another planning application with Haringey Council to allow the bar to be used as a Gentleman's Club with table dancing.

Campaigners from opposition group Lap Off! have pledged to fight on to quash the plans.

Lindsay Wright, Lap Off! nutter, said: We have a lot of support behind us. The council seems to have woken up to the idea that this is not a good idea for Haringey - there seems to be a lot of political and public support behind us and we're very confident.

A previous licensing application to Haringey Council was withdrawn by Music Palace's owners on April 22 after residents uncovered a 30-year-old condition on the club's lease banning use for any illegal or immoral purpose.

The condition, known as a restrictive covenant, is legally binding but the landlord may have chosen to overlook it. A second restriction banning booze sales at the former Salvation Army citadel hall has already been broken for several years.

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, said: I share local residents' concern about having a lap dancing club in the heart of Crouch End. Residents need to be given enough time and opportunity to raise their concerns with this application, and I will be with them every step of the way to make sure this happens.

Crouch End Councillor, David Winskill, said: It's immensely disappointing for residents in the 'Lap Off!' campaign that their summer will be dominated by another fight to stop this application. This club is simply not wanted in Crouch End and we'll make every effort to ensure that it doesn't get the appropriate permission.