Industry veteran Alan Whitehead and the team at Minx in Gloucester {where incidentally the council is not bothering at all with the new law} are looking to use the current uncertainty over licenses to create a new chain of clubs using their current one as a template
. The group are looking for both possible premises and for investors in the venture, details in the “stripclub for sale” section of strip-magazine.
The final results of the Leeds University study on lap dancing by Teela Saunders and Kate Hardy were announced early in April. They tend to reinforce the provisional findings that basically dancers were well educated, mainly liked the job, but sometimes were unhappy with the way club owners treated them. The details are here, http://www.sociology.leeds.ac.uk/research/projects/regulatory-dance.php .
More local authorities are setting charges for the new licenses
, the latest being Hartlepool where a new national annual low of between £100 to £450 {depending on rateable value} has been set. In Torbay they have set the number of clubs as 2 {after a “consultation” which got no less than 7 responses} which means there is still 1 spare license available.
The annual fee in Sheffield has been set at only £1,000 though the 2 clubs there {Spearmint and Scores} are unhappy about some of the clauses in the new license that amongst other things restrict advertising. The council has also included a swingers club called “La Chambre” amongst the premises requiring the licenses. Run down resort Blackpool {which is the only topless only place I know left in the UK } is talking about restricting the number of clubs to 2 down from a peak of 12 {most it has to be said shut for lack of business well before the license crackdown!}a few years ago. Weymouth has set the fee at £3,500.
After a bit of a hiatus new clubs are starting to open across the country despite the introduction of new licenses. In Cardiff 2 new clubs got licenses in May, FYEO is opening a 2nd club using the Blue Velvet brand in St Mary Street and another called “Sugar’s at number 10”is opening in Mill Lane. The Wiggle club in Bournemouth is opening a 2nd branch in Portsmouth in May.
The “ Grand Central” complex in Skegness {destroyed by fire a few years ago} is reopening complete with lap dancing bar also during May. Platinum Lace has applied to greatly expand it’s Norwich club taking over an old restaurant upstairs. Spearmint have applied to open a brand new club in Brighton taking the number up to 4 in that resort and are also reported to be taking over one of the existing Glasgow clubs to return to that city. A club called “High Spirits” in Crowborough, Sussex has started having striptease nights, the “Purple Door” in Hull has reopened.
“Club Noir” the Glasgow based burlesque promoter which has operated at various venues since 2004 has been named one of the best Cabarets in the world by the US Travel Channel.
Talking of Burlesque the former “Venus” club near Smithfield in London has been renamed “Burlesque City” though it still does table dancing later in the evening.
The various license situations across the country have already resulted in a number of ownership changes and more seem to be in the offing. The Leeds branch of “Baby Platinum” is up for sale, as is the “U Bar” in Cannock, and the “Glamour” club at Leisure World, Southampton.
There are new pictures of coverdancer Tania Amazon in her DJ role {right} , more information can be found on
The licensing department of the City of London has arbitrarily decided to enforce a ban on strippers
in the square mile though it seems there is currently just 1 venue open for 2 hours a week within it’s jurisdiction.
Staff at the St Edmunds nursing home in Norfolk celebrated Frances Daniels 100thbirthday by organising male stripper Johnny Bravo {left} !
The “Diamonds and Pearls” club in Reading is changing it’s name to” X-Posed@ The Arches”
. The club also called “Diamonds and Pearls” in nearby Henley has lost it’s license after various problems, it is appealing. Mohammed Reza Shahsavar who operated the La Salsa clubs in Huddersfield and Halifax plus several other bars/clubs has being charged with various offenses related to his immigration status and will be tried in September.
Long Legs in Manchester which was shown to be amongst the least visited nightspots in Manchester by the police in a report last year has just scored top marks in the area in terms of hygiene as well !
Mad Man City footballer Mario Balotelli was thrown out of the Rude club in Liverpool after an altercation with bouncers in which his Maserati was apparently damaged. The “Thurst Lounge” in Oxford is going ahead with it’s judicial review after an attempt to find alternative premises failed.
The 24th “ Night of the senses” ball featuring the Erotic Awards takes place on May 20th at the Pulse nightclub in SE1, London.
Tyke
The idiot new lap dancing laws have gone through the House of Lords for the 2nd time
Author: Saxon
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