Lap Dancing in Newmarket

A lap dancing club has won the right to stay open in Newmarket High Street despite moralist opposition from the town council.

Town councillors and some residents had no specific arguments against Heaven Club so trotted out the usual vague bollox about being close to churches, homes and a play area, and was 'inappropriate' in its location, at a 'gateway' to the town.

But the club which has been operating for 6 years was awarded the licence required by new guidelines at Forest Heath District Council's licensing committee.

Cllr Rachel Hood, who spoke for the town council, claimed the club was garish and did not comply with Forest Heath's new rules. The fact that the club had been operating without trouble for 6 years was brushed off as just an inconvenient nuisance. She spouted:

It does not actually matter what this club has been doing for the last six years, what matters is looking at this establishment and licensing afresh.

Solicitor Clare Eames, representing Heaven, said:

It has not been the cause of crime, anti-social behaviour or complaints for six years. The police are content with the application and do not seek to object to it. It employs a number of people in the locality and it caters for a local trade.

She added that the club was part-way down the High Street, not at a 'gateway' to the town, and that churches had not objected, and both they and the play area were not open at the same time as the club anyway.

But the town council has not conceded their moral battle. The council will discuss the issue again if 200 signatures are gathered in a petition. And town councillors are out on the streets trying to get people to sign up.

A newsagent jailed for 11 months for selling uncertificated films is contesting the amount being extorted under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

It was estimated when he was sentenced that Ronald Smart had made £ 20,000 out of a small mail order operation.

However, that figure was disputed at the time by his solicitor. Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court heard that talks were still ongoing to try to resolve the situation.

Smart was sentenced in July last year after he admitted distributing the material from Barry Smart newsagents in Castle Douglas between February 2005 and November 2007.

Investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act have been going on for more than a year and Sheriff Shirley Foran was told that meetings were being held to try and resolve the position.

Action under the Act was continued for two weeks at Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court.

A lap dancing club's bid for a new sex entertainment venue licence should be rejected claim councillors, supposedly because it is too close to churches and a children's play area.

Heaven Gentlemen's Club opened under the previous licensing regime and will have to close if it is banned by the council.

The club has applied for the licence, which costs £ 2,572 for the first year and £ 1,262 a year thereafter, in accordance with the sex establishment policy of Forest Heath District Council.

In a letter to Forest Heath District Council's licensing officer, the town council said:

These premises are located at the start of Newmarket High Street which is the centrepiece of Newmarket town.

It is wholly inappropriate and unacceptable to place a sex establishment at 109 High Street which is at the gateway to Newmarket High Street.

It said the club is close to three places of religious worship and it is 32 metres from the nearest block of flats.

The district council will decide on the application at a later date.