Petition to ban lap dancing clubs in Cheltenham
| Posted: May 02, 2014
Voodoo
Hundreds of people are demanding Cheltenham councillors ban lapdancing clubs in the town.
The Salvation Army has collected 665 names on a petition which calls on Cheltenham Borough Council to set a zero limit on so-called ‘sexual entertainment venue’ licences in the borough.
There is also an online version of the petition with 373 signatures currently.
A 12-week consultation exercise was launched by the council on April 14 to gauge public opinion on whether there should be a limit to the number of venues, such as lapdancing clubs and adult cinemas, in Cheltenham.
This follows in the wake of a licence being granted to Bath Road Property Limited, to turn Voodoo club in Bath Road into Diamond Gentlemen’s Club.
The club will be allowed to open between 10pm and 4am seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.
In a letter of objection to the council, The Salvation Army’s commanding officer for Cheltenham, Captain Steve Smith, voiced his concerns about the impact of the club.
He said he was concerned about “Cheltenham becoming known as complicit in the selling of the services of vulnerable females as mere sexual commodities”.
In 2010 the council adopted legislation that allows it to issue sexual entertainment venue licences.
This legislation also allows the authority to set a limit on the number of permitted sexual entertainment venues - which includes zero as an option.
This would mean Diamond Gentlemen’s Club would only be able to offer lapdancing for a year, before the limit would come into force.
Currently, the council’s policy does not set a limit to the number of venues and instead deals with each application on a case-by-case basis.
The Salvation Army, which has a church a few minutes walk from Diamond, strongly opposed the granting of the licence for the club.
There were also objections from residents, who were concerned the club’s customers could cause problems in the surrounding area.
Nigel Blair, commercial director of Bath Road Property Limited, said it would continue to work with residents to allay any fears about the club.
Council consultation on setting a limit ends on June 30 and the matter is expected to be discussed by the full council or its cabinet in July or August.
4 comments
T thought we live in 21st century, but that just reminds me that in some cases we are stuck in the dark ages.
This issue isn't about opinions. It is about whether CBC should be party to licensing a commercial operation wishing to make money for providing sexual services. There has always been a demand for this kind of service and there always will be. Let those who seek it exercise their right to it by going to another town.
As a taxi driver in the town I am regularly being asked by certain visitors for a gentleman's club which is often met with surprise when they are told the town does not have one. These sort of clubs are wide spread across the whole country and whether you are for or against them the fact is if people did not use them then they would not survive so the fact they do survive means there is a demand for them and by not allowing one would only send business to another town. Personally I am not bothered one way or the other but I do believe in live and let live and just because someone may disagree with something it does not automatically mean that their opinion should put a barrier in front of what other people may want, but they are still entitled to their opinion.
These seedy joints degrade everyone who uses them to line the pockets of their owners. They also attack the fabric our society. It is disgusting and immoral that CBC should consider given them an air of respectability by granting them licences. This is all about money. It effectively makes CBC complicit in commercial prostitution.