This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk/scotland-blog/2013/jun/15/scotland-women-shimmyclub
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Shimmy Club shut down for week after putting women and children 'at risk' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Shimmy nightclub in Glasgow, which came under a barrage of criticism after allowing male patrons to use a spy mirror into the women's bathrooms, was forced to close for a week by the city's licensing board on Friday night. | The Shimmy nightclub in Glasgow, which came under a barrage of criticism after allowing male patrons to use a spy mirror into the women's bathrooms, was forced to close for a week by the city's licensing board on Friday night. |
| Councillors rejected last minute pleas from the Shimmy Club's owners, G1 Group, for a stay of execution and ordered it to close down the entire Social/Common venue on Royal Exchange Square from 10pm on Friday for seven days. | Councillors rejected last minute pleas from the Shimmy Club's owners, G1 Group, for a stay of execution and ordered it to close down the entire Social/Common venue on Royal Exchange Square from 10pm on Friday for seven days. |
| The board ruled the two-way mirror put teenaged girls at risk – because the Shimmy holds under-18 discos which teenagers can attend without their parents, and risked "predatory behaviour" by drunk male customers against both women customers and children. | The board ruled the two-way mirror put teenaged girls at risk – because the Shimmy holds under-18 discos which teenagers can attend without their parents, and risked "predatory behaviour" by drunk male customers against both women customers and children. |
| With G1 Group owner Stefan King watching the licensing board proceedings, the club was immediately forced to clear the building, with only two hours notice. The club has now been ordered to remove the two-way mirror, and put all its staff through equalities training, as a licensing condition. The board said the spy mirror, which could also be seen from the main bar area, were a possible public nuisance which threatened the safety of women patrons and was also a direct risk to girls, who would be allowed to use the club for special functions and under 18 discos. | With G1 Group owner Stefan King watching the licensing board proceedings, the club was immediately forced to clear the building, with only two hours notice. The club has now been ordered to remove the two-way mirror, and put all its staff through equalities training, as a licensing condition. The board said the spy mirror, which could also be seen from the main bar area, were a possible public nuisance which threatened the safety of women patrons and was also a direct risk to girls, who would be allowed to use the club for special functions and under 18 discos. |
| It allowed women to be viewed "without their knowledge or consent", and also meant girls under 18 would also be put at risk of "inappropriate or predatory behaviour". | It allowed women to be viewed "without their knowledge or consent", and also meant girls under 18 would also be put at risk of "inappropriate or predatory behaviour". |
| The report to the board stated: | The report to the board stated: |
| In the view of Licensing Standards, the facilitation of such conduct was inappropriate in an environment where alcohol is consumed and had the potential to cause undue public nuisance in the form or inappropriate or predatory behaviour, including the female patrons being objectified by other patrons under the influence of alcohol. | In the view of Licensing Standards, the facilitation of such conduct was inappropriate in an environment where alcohol is consumed and had the potential to cause undue public nuisance in the form or inappropriate or predatory behaviour, including the female patrons being objectified by other patrons under the influence of alcohol. |
| It added the mirror was a breach of licensing conditions to protect children, who could attend under-18 discos at the Shimmy Club without adult supervision: | It added the mirror was a breach of licensing conditions to protect children, who could attend under-18 discos at the Shimmy Club without adult supervision: |
| Any female children within the toilet area would have been capable of being viewed by patrons in the private booth and the adjacent bar area, without their knowledge or consent, or that of their parent/guardian. | Any female children within the toilet area would have been capable of being viewed by patrons in the private booth and the adjacent bar area, without their knowledge or consent, or that of their parent/guardian. |
| In the view of Licensing Standards, the facilitation of such conduct was inappropriate in an environment where alcohol is consumed and had the potential to put children at unnecessary risk of inappropriate or predatory behaviour. | In the view of Licensing Standards, the facilitation of such conduct was inappropriate in an environment where alcohol is consumed and had the potential to put children at unnecessary risk of inappropriate or predatory behaviour. |
| The club is also still under investigation by Police Scotland, which has reopened its enquiries after fresh complaints in the last week. | The club is also still under investigation by Police Scotland, which has reopened its enquiries after fresh complaints in the last week. |
| The Herald reported that the club was already preparing to appeal the board's decision to the sheriff court, "in a bid to have it overturned." | The Herald reported that the club was already preparing to appeal the board's decision to the sheriff court, "in a bid to have it overturned." |
| The Shimmy Club became notorious – attracting headlines worldwide - when it emerged last month that male customers could rent out a private booth area, to gawp secretly at women's using the handbasins and mirror in the women's bathroom. | The Shimmy Club became notorious – attracting headlines worldwide - when it emerged last month that male customers could rent out a private booth area, to gawp secretly at women's using the handbasins and mirror in the women's bathroom. |
| One complainant, named Amy, released her letters of complaint to G1 Group to the Guardian, where she said it was "absolutely outrageous" that women were having their privacy invaded by men allowed to "leer disgustingly" at them. | One complainant, named Amy, released her letters of complaint to G1 Group to the Guardian, where she said it was "absolutely outrageous" that women were having their privacy invaded by men allowed to "leer disgustingly" at them. |
| Nowhere is it made clear that this is the case, so when visiting the bathroom for the first time, there are women bending over the sink, pouting into the mirror to redo their lipstick, adjusting themselves personally whilst unknowingly being watched by people on the other side. | Nowhere is it made clear that this is the case, so when visiting the bathroom for the first time, there are women bending over the sink, pouting into the mirror to redo their lipstick, adjusting themselves personally whilst unknowingly being watched by people on the other side. |
| What is even more vulgar is that the toilets face on to a private booth that can be booked out to specifically leer into the girls' bathrooms whilst the girls are unaware that they are being watched. | What is even more vulgar is that the toilets face on to a private booth that can be booked out to specifically leer into the girls' bathrooms whilst the girls are unaware that they are being watched. |
| She was told by Kirstin Nicol, the G1 Group director of risk and compliance, it was intended as "a bit of fun" and a "talking point" which some women customers enjoyed. | She was told by Kirstin Nicol, the G1 Group director of risk and compliance, it was intended as "a bit of fun" and a "talking point" which some women customers enjoyed. |
| Archie McIver, the G1 Group's agent, had asked the board to suspend the closure order for two weeks to allow the company to appeal to the sheriff court. McIver said the hearing – which ran on until 8pm on Friday night, meant the company was being denied justice because the sheriff court was closed at that time. He also asked for the licence suspension to affect just the building's upper floor, rather than the entire premises. | Archie McIver, the G1 Group's agent, had asked the board to suspend the closure order for two weeks to allow the company to appeal to the sheriff court. McIver said the hearing – which ran on until 8pm on Friday night, meant the company was being denied justice because the sheriff court was closed at that time. He also asked for the licence suspension to affect just the building's upper floor, rather than the entire premises. |
| In his submission to the board, Mr McIver described G1 Group as being 'innovative' and 'acclaimed' during their 23 years in business. The Shimmy Club area had recently had a £300,000 refit, adding: | In his submission to the board, Mr McIver described G1 Group as being 'innovative' and 'acclaimed' during their 23 years in business. The Shimmy Club area had recently had a £300,000 refit, adding: |
| London designers had been asked to create a talking point within the premises. And boy, did they achieve that. | London designers had been asked to create a talking point within the premises. And boy, did they achieve that. |
| The licensing officers said their investigation could find no evidence of the prominent warning signs that the club said were installed after the first allegations came to light. They stated "no signage was observed to indicate to patrons that this was a two-way mirror". | The licensing officers said their investigation could find no evidence of the prominent warning signs that the club said were installed after the first allegations came to light. They stated "no signage was observed to indicate to patrons that this was a two-way mirror". |
| McIver added: | McIver added: |
| There is no history of non-compliance on behalf of this licensee. The mirror has been dealt with. It is not likely to recur due to the adverse publicity and also from the track record of co-operation over the past 23 years. | There is no history of non-compliance on behalf of this licensee. The mirror has been dealt with. It is not likely to recur due to the adverse publicity and also from the track record of co-operation over the past 23 years. |
| They are not in any way contemplating doing this again. Lessons have been learned and, without a shadow of doubt, there will be no repetitions of this incident. | They are not in any way contemplating doing this again. Lessons have been learned and, without a shadow of doubt, there will be no repetitions of this incident. |
| The company regrets going down this road. They have undermined a lot of the good work they have done and they do not want to be standing here before the board again. The company apologises unreservedly. | The company regrets going down this road. They have undermined a lot of the good work they have done and they do not want to be standing here before the board again. The company apologises unreservedly. |
| But in law, as the mirror has been dealt with, the issue of deterrence does not arise. So let's draw a line under this affair, and move on to more positive matters. | But in law, as the mirror has been dealt with, the issue of deterrence does not arise. So let's draw a line under this affair, and move on to more positive matters. |
| Malcolm Cunning, the board's chairman, said councillors were concerned about the company's attitudes and ethos: | Malcolm Cunning, the board's chairman, said councillors were concerned about the company's attitudes and ethos: |
| It seems that the attitude is that 'it's okay, it's still enough of a laugh to get away with it and we regret getting caught – we don't regret the original decision'. | It seems that the attitude is that 'it's okay, it's still enough of a laugh to get away with it and we regret getting caught – we don't regret the original decision'. |