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Lap dance clubs may be limited | |
(about 22 hours later) | |
Ministers are concerned at the increase in lap dancing clubs in England and Wales and may limit them in future. | |
Culture minister Gerry Sutcliffe has told councils the clubs could be categorised as "sex encounter establishments" for licencing purposes. | |
Outside London they are currently treated the same as bars and restaurants for licencing - making it difficult for residents to block them. | |
The move has been welcomed by womens' campaign groups. | |
Sex encounters | |
Mr Sutcliffe has written to local authorities outlining plans to consider "limiting the increase in these establishments and controlling the activities that take place within them". | |
This will include considering whether or not lap dance clubs should be classified as "sex encounter establishments" under the 1982 Act. | |
Areas surrounding lap dance clubs can become 'no go' areas for women Kat Banyard, Fawcett Society | |
Currently, lap dance clubs outside London are treated in the same way as any ordinary bar or restaurant. | |
Local authority chief executives have been asked if there are issues related to lap dancing that cannot be "adequately controlled" by existing legislation. | |
Sex shops | |
Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods is amongst those who say they should instead be licensed as "sex encounter establishments", to put them on a par with sex shops and sex cinemas. | |
The UK's first lap dance club opened in 1995 - and critics say an "inadequate licensing regime" has enabled the numbers of clubs to rise to at least 300. | The UK's first lap dance club opened in 1995 - and critics say an "inadequate licensing regime" has enabled the numbers of clubs to rise to at least 300. |
Ms Blackman-Woods said while it is not impossible for councils to turn down these applications if they think they would be inappropriate, it is difficult and should be easier. | |
She outlined her concerns during the introduction of her Sex Encounter Establishments (Licensing) Bill, which is unlikely to become law due to a lack of parliamentary time. | |
'Moralist' argument? | |
She told how an application for a lap dancing club on the main road into the historical town of Durham led to many objections by residents. | |
However, the city council "appeared to dismiss objections as moralist". | |
"This caused outrage in the local community, to the extent that local residents took an appeal to the magistrates' court, which they won," she said. | |
But the company owning the club is now seeking a judicial review of that decision in the High Court. | |
'Nude entertainment' | |
"I have to admit to feeling utter dismay on behalf of my constituents," she said. | |
"I realised the government could either go on, trying to convince local authorities that they did have sufficient powers to turn down lap dancing clubs - or simply amend the legislation and make it easier for them to be refused when they are inappropriate." | |
Lap dancing clubs in London are considered "sex encounter establishments" under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. | |
These are described as venues where nude entertainment is provided for the purpose of sexual stimulation. | |
Ms Blackman-Woods argued that this was surely an apt description of exactly what lap dancing clubs do. | |
'Concerned' | |
Lap dancing clubs are currently considered under the Licensing Act 2003. If they already have a licence for a bar or restaurant under the 2003 Act, they are exempt from the provisions of the 1982 Act. | |
"Because of this exemption, even in London, most lap dancing clubs are not considered under the 1982 Act," the MP said. | |
She argued that this was not about "banning nudity", just that adult entertainment was suitable for some areas of cities and towns, but not everywhere. | |
The government's new aproach was welcomed by women's rights campaign group the Fawcett Society, which argues that lap dance clubs "normalise the sexual objectification of women". | |
"Areas surrounding lap dance clubs can become 'no go' areas for women - but current licensing rules mean local authorities cannot treat a lap dance club differently from a coffee shop," the society's campaigns officer Kat Banyard said. |
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