Blackpool Council 'delighted' after lap dancing club closure

Mon 09 Nov 2009

Blackpool Council has welcomed the closure of a lap dancing club that breached the terms of its licence.

Claudia's on Central Drive was accused by the authority of consistently breaching the conditions of its licence and therefore putting people in a potentially dangerous environment.

This included the employment of a 16-year-old dancer, not preventing clients from touching dancers while they performed and illegally employing a doorman.

Peter Callow, leader of Blackpool Council, told the Gazette that it will not tolerate behaviour such as this, insisting that poorly-run premises have no place in the resort.

Blackpool Trading Standards added that the closure of the lap dancing venue sends out a clear message that those who breach licensing laws will be punished and potentially stripped of their licence.

The government has included a requirement to reclassify lap dancing clubs in its Policing and Crime Bill, which means they will have to obtain a sex establishment licence.

Robert Botkai, a partner at Winckworth Sherwood, commented: "We have been updating clients through our Briefings on the changes to the law relating to lap dancing clubs.

"Some clubs will struggle to retain their licensed status and new licences are likely to me more difficult to secure in future.

"Club owners must ensure that they operate within the conditions of their licences or risk closure."