Blackpool Disabled BS

Well so much for just a quick rattle off before the cricket. Seen the most horrific BS from a council on the Melon farmers blog and have to put it here so I can let rip.

The bosses of Eden, on the Promenade, applied to Blackpool Council for permission to open a new club on Queen Street, Eden 1. To approve the licence would have been against the council’s policy of having a maximum four licensed lap dancing venues in the town,

Eden owners believed their new business would cater for mobility impaired customers saying that no other venue had proper and step free access for disabled people.

Councillors were supposedly concerned about the safety of the two-storey building, which has a lift, in the event of a fire and the committee voted against granting a licence.

The licensing dept also claimed that there is no proven demand for striptease among the disabled (Presumably they didn't bother with any market research to verify this). sevlicensing.wordpress.com pointed out that this is not really relevant anyway given demand for a particular premise is not a factor that licensing should take account of (i.e. you can’t refuse to licence a business because you think it has no market, as that is contrary to the EU trade directive).

Now you may or may not know I am a wheelchair user (yeah this is going to out me probably) so think I can speak for at least some of the disabled and I would love to see more venues that are disabled friendly. What a load of rubbish that a council can think they can speak for any minority without engaging with that minority. Well Blackpool Council just be glad I don't live in the area or I would be giving the licensing committee more than just a piece of my mind. I love how the dancers can use their bodies particularly on the Pole, physical disability heightens that appreciation and to Blackpool Council I say get a grip and stop inventing reasons. It would have been easy to discuss the use of only the ground floor for disabled customers using the lift as an excuse is showing your not using your brains.

TonyN wheelchair user and still has what is left of a brain!. tonyprince@acdcfan.com