3rd April 2008
London Gossip

Paul Raymond died early in March

In what looks like a sop for the supine support of back bench Labour MPs over the reneging on the referendum over the EU, Post Office closures, embryo research etc etc Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has promised Brighton MPs to review { spin for “make more difficult” } the licensing of lap dancing clubs. If you want to make your views known his e mail is [email protected]
Paul Raymond who opened the first proper strip club in the UK in 1957 died early in March aged 82. His empire covered clubs, magazines, theatre shows, videos, and also property with him eventually owning most of the freeholds in Soho. These include most of the famous sites including Walkers Court, the Windmill, Groucho club etc, this it seems will pass onto his young granddaughters. The photo is of him with his ex girlfriend Fiona Richmond from the 1980s when furs were still fashionable!
I understand the authorities have started taking a close interest in the Axe on Hackney Rd, this involving possible illegal workers plus breaches of weights and measures and other matters. A pub called Satchmo’s in Stoke Newington has applied to start striptease and generated the usual opposition from local bigots like publicity seeking MP Diane Abbot. A bar called Libertaire in High St, Acton has won a license to hold regular burlesque shows. The Ship and Anchor in Dagenham’s brief move into striptease seems to have ended.

The expansion of UK club numbers is still continuing at quite a pace despite the gloomy economic outlook. Mind you reports that the Fantasy Lounge in Cardiff had a customer spend £22k after the Wales v Italy 6 nations rugby game in February may be giving new entrants to the market false expectations!
Out west while the Vaults in Torquay has had it’s initial application turned down another club called the Q club has applied to open in Exmouth. A new club called Halo’s opened in trendy Newquay {the 2nd now with Mirage closing last year} late in March, it’s weekends only at first but it will go 7 days a week from June. Recruitment is being done by ex “stripper of the year” Max {left}of Olympia Moments. The Waterside pub in Cowes Isle of White is apparently to have lap dancing during the regatta week. The long awaited Direktors club in Manchester is now opening in May. I understand that the Ruby Lounge in Manchester now has girls 6 days a week. A first club called Shades has opened in Leamington Spa see www.shadesgentlemansclub.co.uk Here you can also see all contact information for this club: https://stripclubguide.com/place/shades-gentlemans-club/ Worthing’s first club the Liquid Lounge now has a license and should open within the next couple of months.

The proposal for a club in central Shrewsbury has been finally dropped and the premises put on the market. Dudley club Bandit Queen now includes a voucher for the first dance in it’s entrance fee. The old Prague Junction club in Fareham has withdrawn it’s application for lap dancing though this may yet still happen. Wildcats at Blackpool has been fined £14,000 but is appealing the 4 week closure imposed on it by the council after license breaches. I understand that the owners of the Loft club in Durham have applied for a judicial revue of the bizarre decision of the courts not to grant them a license.

Bracknell’s first club Angels which opened late last year now has a web site. A customer at La Salsa in Halifax got a 6 month suspended sentence for throwing a brick through the window after being thrown out for abusing the dancers.

Tyke

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Author: Saxon

Strip-magazine.com is covering the European Striptease industry with monthly updates on or famous London Gossip, Interviews with industry people, articles and news from the world of striptease. We also offer a Striptalk forum, Industry Directory with Stripclubs and Agents and a Job board for the Striptease industry in Europe.