Lap Dancing in Cheltenham

The Salvation Army has collected 665 names on a petition which calls on Cheltenham Borough Council to ban sexual entertainment venue licences in the borough. There is also an online version of the petition with 373 signatures currently.

A 12-week consultation exercise was launched by the council on April 14 to gauge public opinion on whether there should be a limit to the number of venues, such as lapdancing clubs and adult cinemas, in Cheltenham.

This follows in the wake of a licence being granted to Bath Road Property Limited, to turn Voodoo club in Bath Road into Diamond Gentlemen's Club.

In a letter of objection to the council, The Salvation Army's commanding officer for Cheltenham, 'Captain' Steve Smith said he was 'concerned' about Cheltenham becoming known as complicit in the selling of the services of vulnerable females as mere sexual commodities .

About 90% of people who filled out a Cheltenham borough council questionnaire said they do not believe it is acceptable to have a lap dancing club anywhere in Cheltenham.

The consultation was prompted partly by the level of public 'outrage' to an application to open a lap dancing club in Bath Road; an application which was granted by the borough council earlier this year.

The council's licensing staff will now meet to respond to the consultation results.

There were 174 responses to the sexual entertainment venue questionnaire also a petition advocating a ban received about 1,100 signatures.

Carmine Di Liso who runs Fantasy gentlemen's club in Bath Road said his club has received a very good reaction and has been completely trouble free. He said:

We have had no problem with the community. We have had local people criticise us before and they have come in and changed their minds.

Update: Calmer at the council's licensing committee meeting

11th September 2014. See  article from  gloucestershireecho.co.uk  

Cheltenham Borough Council's influential licensing committee met and was asked to give the authority a steer on whether lap dancing clubs should be banned in the town.

A number of moves to do just that were defeated but committee members did eventually agree that sexual entertainment venue licences should not be granted to any clubs outside the town centre.

Meanwhile, they also agreed any applications to open such a club in the town centre should be considered on a case by case basis by the licensing committee and that no limit should be placed on the total number of the clubs allowed.

Councillor Andrew McKinlay, cabinet member for development and safety, pitched the idea for the zero limit for residential areas and case by case determination in the town centre to the committee. He questioned whether a blanket ban would even be legally possible. He said:

It makes much more sense to restrict potential sexual entertainment venues to the town centre area where you would expect other night time entertainment.

The committee was read a statement from Jaine Simner, Gloucestershire Constabulary's licensing manager:

I don't believe we or any other force have statistics that suggest that SEVs are responsible for or increase the likelihood of sexual offences.

It is my opinion that SEVs if well run like any other licensed premises cause us very little problem and are not known for crime and disorder.

The issue of setting a limit on the number of sexual entertainment licences granted in Cheltenham will be discussed by the borough council's cabinet on September 16.

A bid to ban lap dancing clubs across all of Cheltenham was defeated by the narrowest of margins, but the venues will be still be banned in the town's residential areas.

Cheltenham Borough Council debated for more than three and a half hours whether or not to completely prohibit the clubs. The total ban was defeated in a ballot by 19 votes to 18. Councillors then voted by 25 votes to 9 in favour of allowing the clubs in the town centre but not in residential areas.

Councillor Andrew McKinlay (Liberal Democrat), the cabinet member responsible for development and safety, said the policy that was agreed was the best way forward for the town.

Councillor Flo Clucas (Not So Liberal Democrat) made the case for a complete ban of the clubs which she claimed have a negative impact on men and women.

Councillor Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat) said he was neither pro nor anti lap dancing clubs but is in favour of choice for consenting adults. He wisely observed:

Banning things you do not like might seem like a simple solution to life's ills but it will not solve the problems.

The council policy decision taken into account the results of  a public consultation about lap dancing restrictions which received 174 responses. The responses were majorly in favour of a zero limit in each area (85%-90% indicating that named wards were not suitable for clubs), though there were slightly fewer opposing the idea of clubs in industrial areas (around 75%).