Table Dancing in Manchester

Manchester Council licensing moralists want to automatically ban any new licence applications for sex shops or entertainment venues , saying enough is enough.

Currently there are four sex shops and seven clubs in the centre of Manchester.

A plan by the council, currently out to consultation, would see a ban on further licences being granted.

The council have obviously been legally briefed and have avoided citing moral reasons for the ban. They have opted for a claim that the market is 'saturated' and that further venues may impact the profitability and viability of existing businesses. However this is unlikely as a a complete ban would be a very inflexible way of achieving this end. If the council were genuinely considering the interests of businesses surely this would be better served with applications being considered on a case by case basis with the impact on other businesses being one of the considerations.

A report on the proposed curb vaguely speculates that:

It is considered that further sex establishments 'might' lead to a saturation of premises within the city centre.

Problems of saturation and enhanced competition 'might potentially' lead to undesirable competitive practices arising between premises.

It seems strange that the council are citing such vagueness. One would think that they would have properly researched the profitability of existing businesses before jumping to such conclusions.

Currently no sex premises are allowed outside the city centre, while those that do open must be in an appropriate location.

The proposed ban is out for public consultation until June 14.

A campaign has been launched against a new Chinatown table dancing venue with the unimaginative claim that it would create Manchester's answer to Soho.

Local moralists claim that plans for a proposed gentleman's club on Portland Street could make the area sordid and sexy .

A licensing application for the new bar, called Angels, has been submitted to the town hall. If approved, it would be the third lap dancing club within two blocks.

Protestors have gathered about 150 signatures for a petition. Bonnie Yeung, spokesman for the Chinatown Community Group said:

It's crucial for the future growth and success of the area that we do have great independent businesses, but we have no idea who has put in the application or whether it's going to be well run -- and in addition there are two others within a few streets.

We don't really want to be the next Soho of Manchester. Local businesses are concerned. Chinatown would then be a sordid and sexy night out rather than a family night out.

City centre councillor Joan Davies said she would be opposing the application, adding:

I just don't think they should be in buildings where residents live. When people buy or rent an apartment -- and in the city centre that increasingly includes families -- they want to know that next door won't be hosting sex establishment visitors.

The application is open for comments until June 20.

Update: Plans withdrawn

11th July 2013. See  article from  manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A few days before councillors were due to consider the bid, Blackburn-based applicants Keelhaul Ltd have withdrawn the application for a sex entertainment licence.