New bid to stop spread of strip clubs

7:04pm Thursday 19th June 2008

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An MP's campaign to stop a surge in the number of strip clubs in Brighton and Hove has been boosted by a Government pledge to overhaul the law.

The Home Office announced it was prepared to give local authorities extra powers to "control" the proliferation of establishments offering adult entertainment like lap dancing.

The move follows complaints from Hove MP Celia Barlow that councils are powerless to block applications because the 2003 Licensing Act treats lap dancing clubs in the same way as ballet schools, pubs, bars and cafes.

Only people living within 100 metres of a proposed club can object and even then only on the basis of preventing crime or safeguarding public safety.

Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who has been lobbied by Ms Barlow and Gill Mitchell, the Labour group leader on Brighton and Hove City Council, admitted the Government was "concerned" about a big rise in lap dancing venues in recent years.

In a letter to local authorities, Mr Sutcliffe wrote: "It is clear the protections and regulations set out in the 2003 Act do not go as far as some people would like to control the proliferation of lap dancing clubs."

The letter invited councils' views on "whether there are issues related to lap dancing and similar entertainment that you feel cannot be adequately controlled by licensing legislation or other legislation, such as that relating to planning or public decency".

The letter came on the same day as Ms Barlow and others stepped up demands for action to help councils that wanted the "freedom" to turn down bids to open new clubs.

The MP, throwing her support behind a backbench Bill to reclassify lap dancing clubs as "sex encounter establishments" to make them easier for town halls to block, said too many clubs were obtaining licences in areas where local residents deemed them "totally inappropriate".

Ms Barlow urged the Government to either issue clear guidance to clarify the law or amend it to give local communities a "strengthened role" in deciding whether such clubs should be built in their area.

Coun Mitchell added: "It is clear now that the Government is listening to the strong view of local councils that we need better powers in relation to these clubs. This is all about us being able to properly represent local opinion and I hope this licensing loop-hole will soon be closed."

The strip club industry has set up the Lap Dancing Association (LDA) to try to stop Ms Barlow's campaign.

Julian Skeens, a lawyer advising the LDA, said: "It is simply wrong to say that it is easy to obtain a licence for a lap dancing club".