Councillors voted in favour of seeking residents' views on a new draft policy governing the city's lap-dancing clubs and X-rated shops back in May.
But delays sorting the necessary paperwork and the launch of other urgent consultations by the city council over the summer, including controversial plans for a clean air zone, meant the three-month exercise only got under way on Friday (August
16).
Licensing committee members had agreed by a margin of five votes to four to send out the revised policy, which is largely unchanged apart from the inclusion of sex cinemas, of which Bristol has none, for the public to have their say.
Warren Allmark, the chair of Chester Pride, said that postponing the 2019 event over weather concerns was the hardest call ever.
But just two days before the event was due to take place Warren and authorities including Cheshire West and Chester Council had to take the decision to postpone the festival after the Met Office predicted high winds and gusts of up to 50mph.
Although many have been supportive of the decision, there has been some negative reaction to the cancellation on social media, with some questioning why a bit of bad weather prompted the cancellation of the entire event. However Allmark
explained:
We don't just turn up at 7am on Saturday and bang up a few tents as some think. We have to close off the event space at 5pm on Thursday and start building on Thursday evening.
We will recover from this.
Chester Pride and Warren Allmark received some supportive words from
Nice n Naughty sex shop:
Dear Chester
We are devastated to hear that Pride has been cancelled. On the 10th of August 1999, Nice n Naughty was born in the heart of this city. In proud support of Chester Pride from its very first, we have been privileged to witness the Chester LGBTQ+
community grow, strengthen and thrive. Our little shop has changed so much in 20 years, and with our massive refurbishment finally complete we are better, kinkier, more inclusive and more beautiful than ever. And you know what Chester? We
couldn't have done it without you.
So, as a gesture of our love and solidarity; in honour of Pride and our 20th birthday, this Saturday the shop staff of Nice n Naughty Chester will be donating 20% of their days wages, 10% of store takings and 10% of
www.nicennaughty.co.uk takings to Chester Pride. A donation which our Director, Simon Prescott, has pledged to personally match.
We will be open 9-8 tomorrow, with the tunes blasting and rainbows everywhere. We will be, as we always have been, a safe place to be whoever you want to be. We will be proud.
Warren Allmark, the chair of Chester Pride, said that postponing the 2019 event over weather concerns was the hardest call ever.
The Birmingham city centre sex shop and cinema club known as Adult World or Sunset Strip on Hinckley Street has changed hands.
