Firstly an IMPORTANT message to all clubs, people are now using template letters to object to renewal of licenses. Be very sure when you are renewing that you get details of any objections prior to to the ruling so you are prepared. I am looking to produce a fairly standard letter as a template clubs can use for their customers to send in. Should be up in a week or so. I know the Lap Dancing Association had its issues and not everyone wanted to join but if clubs don't start working together we are going to see more closed and very little chance of new ones opening. I want to get something started in this area so I would ask people to get club managers/owners to contact me at tonyprince@acdcfan.com as the time to act is now really.
And speaking of time to act we have had two consultations recently where the results should be out soon. And both are second consultations being Leeds and Tower Hamlets. To be honest I am surprised nothing has come out yet as both closed over a month ago and if it had of went the way of the councils I would have thought they would be shouting from the highest points of each borough.
And off to Central Bedfordshire.... where the council did a consultation over the phone of around 1,000 people, and surprise surprise the result is a Nil Policy as 63% of people were against the clubs. Now I may have to put silver foil on my head but I am wondering how these people were selected? However it seems that if a club did set up in the area it would have to be 500m away from schools etc including historic buildings. So wondering what the existing clubs will do but the first thing would be to validate the selection process of the consultation to see if it was fair and equitable.
The Honeytrap in Hull has got it's license renewed, 25 objections but none from the police. Also there is an application for a new club in Manchester, obviously some people are objecting and the consultation is on till 20th June so anyone in Manchester near Portland street who want a new club suggest you contact your council.
Would like to thank SEV licensing blog as I have put out some of the info they had due to me being buried in Local Government Guidelines which see to all start out the same and then just meander off according to the whims of licensing officers/councillors. Had a question raised about physical contact and this brings up the fact that as far as I know all pubs and clubs do NOT allow physical contact. There is a point within the schedule that you can ask for exceptions but the only one I have heard of was at Cheltenham. Certainly the owner of Angels in Plymouth got his wrist slapped when a former manager turned a blind eye to contact. Councils are sending out secret shoppers so venues would be well advised to make sure all dancers know the regulations the club operates under or you could see more £20,000 fines.
Finally would like to thank Dr Brooke Magnanti for her piece in the telegraph about burlesque and striptease (herel). We face strange attitudes nowadays where women exercising their right to choose how to earn a living is being attacked not by the patriarchy but christians and feminists who seem to be working for the patriarchy by wanting to deny women autonomy. Something I have commented on before is the various aspects of objectification which is constantly thown up about how men would view women in the clubs and yet by denying the dancers autonomy and silencing their opinions we see two clearly defined aspects of objectification. Sort of its okay if we objectify to try and stop people objectifying (ouch my brain hurts with that sort of logic). I have been in and out of clubs over 20 years and the more I have been the less I objectify and the more I view women as wonderful, warm individuals that I want as friends, my exes would be surprised certainly.
Edit The beds situation is that a consultation is going now till August and you can have your say here
The Central Bedfordshire consultation appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to all the fuss stirred up by the antis in Ampthill a few months ago, following the application for an SEV licence (which was granted subsequently) by Shaylers. As it happens, striptease proved to be financially unviable in that particular location - something which came as no surprise to those of us with some understanding of the business model of the industry - and Shaylers has reverted to being an ordinary nightclub, making the task of putting in place a 'nil' policy easier for the council by removing the prospect of a judicial review. It must be reiterated that the only local authorities which have had success in putting in place a 'nil' policy to date have been those with no venues licenced for striptease within their boundaries.
ReplyDeleteAs you've noted in your update to the post, the 'phone-around was a preliminary exercise, not the consultation itself.
Too many pies with my fingers in... lost track of it was only a phone round preliminary. There are clubs in Luton which is in the central Beds area so could have an impact there. Be interesting depending on the results. Same old scaremongering at the start of the consultation with the what about the kiddies approach which they still haven't learned schools are not open when clubs are in general and discreet signage would resolve some issues. However the fears play on parents minds which is exactly why the antis do it.
DeleteIf I had the money I would challenge a council that has a nil policy and force the issue but I am guessing existing clubs will only do that if they face closure and I am betting that rather than risk court exceptions will be made yet again and victory claimed by the antis even though clubs are operating.
I think you'll find that After 8 - the one club in Luton Town - falls the jurisdiction of Luton Borough Council; the Waterside Bar in Linslade falls under Leighton-Linslade Town Council; and Junction 9 Exotic (formerly the Waggon & Horse,owned by 'Lord' John Shayler) in Flamstead, near Dunstable, falls under Hertfordshire County Council.
DeleteMy gut feeling is that Central Bedfordshire Council wouldn't be carrying out the consultation at all if Shayler's still operated as a strip club, given that they granted its licence in the face of organised opposition in the first place.