What have Leeds lap dancing clubs done?

After my first blog describing my experiences in ten years in the lap dancing industry I now come to where we find ourselves today… in the midst of a legal battle between Leeds City Council and the cities three biggest clubs.

After granting licenses to smaller, secluded clubs, Silks (although this is due to be reviewed in June 2014), The Purple Door and Liberte, the council decided to refuse licenses applications from Wildcats, Red Leopard and Deep Blue due to their proximity to ‘sensitive’ buildings and buildings with ‘sensitive’ uses.

This decision seems astonishing given these clubs were granted licenses and had licenses renewed despite still being in the same place as they were seven or eight years ago!

In a later blog I will look into more detail the ‘sensitive’ buildings in question, none of which are believed to have made objections to the license applications. This article however will look at what has possibly changed over the past few years in order for the council to change their policy and what the clubs have done to support these policy changes.

There seems to be two very significant policy changes from the council which have led to their u-turn on the proximity of these clubs, especially in the instance of Wildcats and Red Leopard, both located on the Headrow, immediately opposite Leeds Town Hall.

First of all is the councils aim to become a ‘child friendly city’ and second, and in my opinion more significantly, the fact that this years Tour De France will depart on Saturday 5^th July 2014 from…….The Headrow.

Now, lets not think im totally blinkered and one-sided in all of this. I think this is an unbelievable coop for Yorkshire, tremendously exciting for the people of Leeds and a great opportunity to highlight the City on a world stage. I even agree with the sentiment that with the eyes of the world on the county, the city and even the street ‘Le Grand Depart’ would not want to be dominated by a back drop of lap dancing clubs with their signage and prominent advertising catching the attention of the cameras.

However, the simple fact is, it will not and here’s what the clubs have done to ensure this.

I will use the example of Wildcats, as, to date, Red Leopard have made no appeal against the decision not to grant them a Sexual Entertainment Venue (SEV) license and therefore are currently operating an illegal business, which is a criminal and not a licensing matter. I am quite sure this club will be closed down, or as I am led to believe will happen, change the purpose of business away from lap dancing. Council 1 Leeds lap dancing 0.

Wildcats and Deep Blue however, have been completely lawful and socially responsible in their response to the councils concerns and have made changes and concessions to support the council’s objectives at a huge detriment to their businesses.

The first significant change they have made is to remove all signage from the front of the venue. This satisfies the councils concerns about being child friendly, the start of the Tour and in general opinions of visitors to the City.

No person visiting Leeds Town Hall, Leeds Art Gallery, the Library or Henry Moore Institute and facing Wildcats would ever know what happens behind these closed doors. There is no signage and no advertising. The opening hours of the club are not even displayed never mind any mention of the use of the premises.

There is no reasonable way a child or visitor to the City would know what the building is used for. So when the camera’s are on the Headrow for the start of the Tour De France, how will anybody in one of the 188 countries the greatest bike ride on earth is broadcast in, be any the wiser. They will be completely focused on the guys riding the bikes, not looking at a shop front without any signage trying to work out what it is used for!

I have sat many a time drinking coffee in the Café at the Art Gallery and listened to guests talk about how nice the building opposite are, the street, the trees: not once have I heard them mention what may happen in the closed, discreet shop front at night!

There is simply no way of anybody, already unaware, knowing that 153-155 the Headrow is a lap dancing club.

The second change of note is to extend the operating hours of Wildcats with the club not opening for business before 11pm. This is by far late enough to expect all children to have vacated the City Centre vicinity. With the club closing at 4am on weekdays and 5am on weekends it is also reasonable to expect that no child would be present in the City Centre during any of its opening hours.

It is also notable that not one of the ‘sensitive’ buildings listed by the council are open at these times.

The third change is a reduction in the amount of promotional activity the club undertakes.

Hummers and similar promotional vehicles were outlawed under the granting of an SEV licence in 2013 and only discreet flyering during club opening hours with council approved flyers now takes place.

Children and women would never be approached, but even discarded promotional material would not be offensive to these people in any way.

I have been approached by lap dancing club promotional staff on a number of occasions and have never found them anything but polite and courteous. Once I have said ‘no thanks’ this has always been respected and I have been left alone. This despite the fact I may have been the only person they have approached that hour on a cold Monday night!

The clubs have also increased the minimum age of entry to 21. Im not sure how much difference this will make but it should be another another step in the right direction for relationships between the club and council.

So, what we have is a club, closed in the day, with no signage and minimum promotional activity, which is on no way offensive and is trying to do all it can to keep its staff (remember this includes managers, bar staff, door staff etc as well as dancers) employed.

It is predicted that over 200 people will lose their jobs should Leeds City Council be successful in closing down the three clubs in question next month, and for what? To satisfy the morals of a select few feminist MP’s and councilors and the very few people that have made objections to licences being granted.

It has been estimated that fighting to close these clubs will cost the tax payer up to £200,000 in legal fees alone. Add to this the cost to the City in terms of lost income tax, business rates, tourism through stag parties etc.

What is doing more harm, closing these clubs down or letting them remain open with the above restrictions in place?

If you are in support of the clubs please sign their online petition….

www.gopetition/petitions/dance.html.

Show Leeds City Council that you’d like them to spend YOUR taxes more wisely and that closing these clubs down will do far more harm than good.

Please feel free to add your comments……