Coventry set for total ban on sex clubs and lapdancing bars

[dutchman]

Lapdancing bars and sex clubs face a complete ban in Coventry city centre, the Telegraph can reveal.

Council leaders are to consult the public over introducing a city-wide policy of not issuing licences to lap dancing clubs and similar premises.

The current policy allows up to two licenced sexual entertainment venues in Coventry city centre, and none across the rest of the city.

There is currently only one in the city centre – Heat, in the City Arcade, which brands itself as ‘Coventry’s only gentlemen’s club’.

Council leaders say if the new policy is implemented in April next year, it would be for the council’s licensing committee to decide if Heat’s licence is renewed.

Leading Labour councillor Phil Townshend, cabinet member for community safety and equalities, said a ban could be necessary to protect the public.

He pointed to reports of widespread problems with exploitation of workers in the sex trade and sexual entertainment industry, and a potential link with sex crime and domestic violence.

Coun Townshend said he hoped a three-month public consultation would attract responses from people in all Coventry communities, schools, police, sex crime victims’ charities, churches, businesses and others.

A smaller public consultation last year on the issue attracted just 28 responses, and led to the current “interim” policy of up to two venues in the city centre.

He said: “The fact we allow up to two venues at present shows it’s not a moral crusade, but that we are trying to get right a very difficult issue.

“I don’t think we’re out of touch with public opinion on this, but we want to make sure the policy is right.

“We want the largest ever public consultation on this issue, while making clear the council’s preferred option is a zero (venues) policy. We’ve got to look very strongly at what goes on, and how it impacts on having high levels of sexual and domestic violence.”

Public views will also be sought at ward forums, if the public consultation is approved, as expected, by the council’s ruling Labour cabinet on August 14.

Dianne Whitfield, of CRASAC, said her Coventry-based charity for victims of rape and sexual abuse is calling for a zero sexual entertainment venue policy.

She said: “There’s some research which supports what we know anecdotally, that they are unsafe, and patterns of behaviour change around the vicinity of lap dancing clubs.

“Women feel unsafe around them too. They get heckled when men come out in a particular frame of mind. They feel its acceptable to sexually harass and even sexually assault women.”

John Barrett, owner of Heat club, said: “There’s no evidence of this nationally, and it is untrue in our case.

“The police have said there’s no statistics to prove crime or disorder attached to our venue, and they gave evidence to the council’s licensing committee.

“The committee was happy to grant us a SEV (Sexual Entertainment Venue) licence for a year just 10 weeks ago, so it’s baffling this has come up again. We’ve been here seven years and this would seem to threaten the future of our business, at a time when there are so many empty city centre premises.

“We have 25 to 30 dancers and about 60 per cent have been with us for five years or more. We are nothing to do with the sex industry, or trafficking. Only a small number of our dancers are international. They need a licence to work in this country and we don’t deal with third parties.”

[dutchman]

Coventry lap dancing ban would see city become a national test case



COVENTRY could find itself at the centre of a huge national debate if it votes for a ban on lap dancing clubs, a meeting heard.

The city council is looking at a possible ban on sex clubs and has launched a consultation to find out what the public thinks.

A council meeting heard the city could become a test case nationally and could be the subject of a judicial review if it decides on an outright city centre ban.

Coun Phil Townshend, cabinet member for community safety and a lawyer, told a cabinet meeting he was braced for a long legal battle, calling for the “largest ever public consultation on this issue”.

The current policy allows up to two sexual entertainment venues in the city centre, and none in the rest of the city.

There is currently only one – Heat, in the City Arcade.

The three-month consultation will consider the council’s recommended city-wide policy of not issuing any such licences.

“I’m not setting myself up to be the bastion of public morality,” Coun Townshend said.

“There is a real prospect a policy we choose could be subject to an appeal and every likelihood this could be challenged at a judicial review.”

“This consultation is something we are required to do.”

Debate as to whether lap dancing venues should be banned is expected to split the council and councillors have been warned they cannot consider this as a moral issue.

Coventry Rape and Sexual Assault Centre has called for a ban, while the council’s recommendation for a ban points to evidence of problems with exploitation of workers in the sexual entertainment industry, and a potential link with sex crime and domestic violence.

But the owner of Heat, John Barrett, insists there is no such link, pointingd to police figures showing no evidence of crime or disorder linked to Heat,.

Coun Townshend added: “This is not some sort of back door attempt to close that establishment down.

“It is a requirement for us to consult on this policy. This is not an issue which divides us on party lines. Colleagues on both sides of the council hold different views.”

Email your opinion to licensing@coventry.gov.uk or call the council on 024 7683 1888 from Monday.