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Policing and Crime Bill receives Royal Assent
Fri 13 Nov 2009
Lap dancing venues in the UK will now be subject to the same licensing rules as sex shops.
The government's Policing and Crime Bill received Royal Assent today after being debated in the House of Lords earlier this week.
This includes measures to tighten the existing rules surrounding lap dancing clubs, thereby handing more power to councils.
Local authorities will now be able to block licensing applications from lap dancing venues if they are deemed unsuitable for a particular area.
The act also contains revisions to alcohol legislation, as retailers who repeatedly sell drinks to underage customers will be handed tougher penalties.
Meanwhile, police will be given more powers to deal with young people who are drinking in a public space.
Robert Botkai, a partner at Winckworth Sherwood, commented: "We have been writing about some of these changes on our Briefings - see the licensing page of our website."
"There is still battle to be done on the new proposed mandatory conditions and we will be keeping our clients and contacts up to date," he added.