Plenty of activity in the Central London section late in September/early October. Firstly “Puss in Boots” the ex FYEO Mayfair closed it’s doors suddenly and was reportedly gutted of all of it’s fittings by ex owner David West after less than a years trading and reportedly heavy losses
It’s future as a club now looks very doubtful. The sale of the Windmill to DeJaVu did not eventually go through as I understand Oscar Owide pulled out again at the very last minute over a dispute on the timings of payments. DeJaVu are still actively looking for a London club and I guess the Windmill is back on the market.The long standing antipathy between Peter Stringfellow and John Gray of Spearmint Rhino { as reported on the recent C4 documentary “ Lap dance wars”} was apparently ended over a handshake spotted in the unlikely setting of a gay Covent Garden coffee bar !
Talking of Spearmint they have fallen foul of a VAT ruling on table dance charges which has left them with a historic liability reported to be just under £3m. The VAT authorities have ruled that they are liable to VAT on the full price of private dances not just the amount which goes to the club. They are appealing and have in the mean time changed their method of charging dancers increasing their share of the fee to compensate.
Spearmint are very confident that they will win the appeal in January and are starting again on a major expansion drive in the UK after a hiatus lasting several years. The opening of the Norwich club { mentioned in August’s column} should take place early in November and they aim to rapidly follow this up with further clubs having just acquired the Truffle Club in Glasgow { creating the usual resistance from James “ crackpot” Coleman of Glasgow council}with others reportedly in the pipeline for Bristol and 2 more in the London area.
The freehold of the vast “Extreme“ club in Birmingham has been acquired and it’s going to be remodelled to incorporate the “ Rouge Gentleman’s club” based on an existing US Spearmint format. John Gray himself has acquired a house in Westminster as he intends Spearmint to open 12 clubs in the next 2 years in the UK and he wants to lead this rapid expansion personally
All the other the main UK’s chains also seem to be expanding. I understand that the FYEO chain is planning a major push involving 7 new clubs {including a 3rd in Newcastle called Diamonds} over the next few months and is looking to raise external finance possibly involving some type of float.
Wildcats which has 3 clubs already has a license for a 4th in Barnsley {first club in that town} and has another in the pipeline in the Headrow, Leeds. Talking of Leeds, Hull based Blue Box leisure is opening it’s 4th club Direktors in Leeds on November the 2nd and has recruited Alan Whitehead to help with further expansion with clubs apparently mooted for London, Watford, and Manchester.
I understand moves are afoot to start a UK trade association for lap dance clubs to act on common issues like license restrictions, tax etc.
Lots of news in the land of strip pubs this month as well. Ex Strip-Magazine coverdancer Niki Smith {left} has joined the recent exodus from Browns/Griffin to the nearby White Horse, Shoreditch details of her bookings on her web site .
Welcome news of some new strip pubs {or at least wine bars !}, firstly in “What’s Your Flavour” High St, Harlesden which has girls on Saturday afternoon, secondly the “Baroque” in Northgate, Blackburn which has started having regular early evening strip shows. The Beehive in Bow East London has started regular strip shows on Sundays and Tuesdays initially. The venerable Queen Anne {a strip pub since 1962} in Vauxhall, London now has a web site and has apparently taken the retrograde step {in my view} of introducing private dancing.
The proposed club in Fleetwood has been turned down by the council though they may appeal. The 2nd club in Bedford to be called Marciano’s has had it’s planning permission refused. The Legends club in Shaw near Oldham was granted a license but is now under attack from a half wit local councillor called Rob Blyth.
The Platinum Bar Chester’s only club has got license approval to go full nude. The Blue Pelican in Bradford finally opened early in October see . The Avairy club of Leicester has applied to open a new club in Brighton. York council has revealed that in addition to Ziggy’s club which opened late in September they have had approaches from a further 7 groups who are interested in opening a club in the city. The new club Harpers in Guildford now has a web site .
A new club to me called “Sensations Gentleman’s Club” has opened in Moseley near Birmingham. The Doncaster club Jockey’s has been renamed “ Players” and operates to a sports bar format now. Yet another club in Leeds the “Churchill” in Dewsbury Rd has applied to start pole dancing. The Picture House complex in Stourbridge has got a license to introduce lap dancing making it the 2nd club in that town. The “007” club in Stoke has been renamed “007th Heaven” after the legal objections from the James Bond film makers reported the other month.
Conventional nightclubs hit by late night pubs have started to apply to hold lap dancing nights in several places across the country. Epping’s 195 club has applied to hold lap dancing nights on Wednesday, Taunton’s Dellers Wharf for Saturday and even the Royal Agricultural Society site at Stoneleigh Park near Warwick has applied for permission to hold occasional lap dance nights.
The Scottish Executive have introduced their guidelines for the industry based on the idiot report produced last year, they are including CCTV everywhere and no booths but have at least dropped the stupid 1 metre rule.
A new organisation called the International Pole Foundation is being launched at the old Raymond’s Revuebar in Soho on 21st November , details via . A national pole dancing competition is being run via Polecats at the Quepasa chain of bars , the winner apparently gets a new Mini. A new company has emerged offering topless and nude cleaners in the South East and Midlands, see . Birmingham’s Rocket club has created a stir by using giant poppies on the outside of the club as support for it’s fund raising efforts for Remembrance day.
A new topless club is to open in the small Irish town of Drogheda. A detailed study into prostitution in Ireland has concluded {surprise, surprise} that the girls at lap dance clubs are there by choice and that the rules are normally kept.
Tyke
Author: Saxon
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