Lap Dancing with McPartland
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:19 am
But these conditions have not curbed nutter opposition to the club, which will be the third on Teesside, with similar clubs operating in Stockton and Redcar. Middlehaven councillor, John McPartland said: I am totally against this lap dancing club and I will oppose it at every opportunity. I believe that it will only exacerbate the prostitution problem in central Middlesbrough.
Borough By Laws
From the IC Teeside http://www.icnetwork.co.uk/
15th December 2003
A nightspot owner who vowed not to open a lap dancing and strip club after council chiefs objected is opening the doors anyway in Middlesborough.
Bar owner Tony Spensley told the Gazette last month that he would not turn the first and second floors of Spensley's Emporium into the adult entertainment club called Secrets without, "the proper permissions of the council". He had applied to Middlesbrough council's licensing committee for a licence to do just that in November, but they turned down the club. Spensley said: We spoke with our legal team and the decision was made to go ahead. We have told the council and the police, who we have worked with since day one, and told them what we were doing. We were asked to make a voluntary undertaking to abide by special conditions and house rules we had put to the council during the committee meeting, and have agreed to that."
Under his current licence, Spensley can still open the club, which will have pole dancers, strippers and lap dancers, but he would not have to apply to strict "special conditions" that the council could have applied.
Pam Ross, Middlesbrough council's principle licensing offer said: We did know they were going to do this. The applicant came to us to advise the council that as they could operate under the terms of their current licence they made a commercial decision to do so. But they offered a voluntary undertaking to abide by the special conditions and house rules which were originally proposed by the council."
The "special conditions" include the performers must be over 18, there must be a minimum of four door-staff and performances must not be visible from the street.
But these conditions have not curbed nutter opposition to the club, which will be the third on Teesside, with similar clubs operating in Stockton and Redcar. Middlehaven councillor, John McPartland said: I am totally against this lap dancing club and I will oppose it at every opportunity. I believe that it will only exacerbate the prostitution problem in central Middlesbrough.
During November's meeting, Spensley said that the club, which is open until 2am six nights a week, would not have a website, but the flyers clearly show an Internet address to log on to - a website he insists will contain information about the club's rules, opening hours and prices only and would not contain images of any dancers.
Too Close for Mean Minded Moralists...
Middlesbrough lap dancing bar under threat
Based on article from gazettelive.co.uk
The public entertainment licence for Spensley's Emporium on Albert Road, which includes the first-floor Secrets lap dancing club, is to be reviewed by Middlesbrough Council's licensing committee.
Cleveland Police raised concerns about the club after CCTV showed girls dancing closer to customers than the rules allow.
Along with the police, Middlehaven Community Council has also written a letter of objection to the committee. Chairman Linda Lewis said: The rules are there to protect the girls and they should be followed. I won't be attending the meeting. Apparently they will be showing the CCTV footage and I don't want to see that sort of thing.
Lee Spensley, owner of Spensley's Emporium and Secrets, admitted rules were broken but insisted steps have been taken to prevent further breaches.
Councillor John McPartland, who previously feared that prostitution could increase in the town centre because of the operation of a lap dancing club, said: The reasons I opposed the club when it was first introduced have not materialised so I will not be opposing it this time. As a ward councillor I haven't had any complaints from any residents since it opened. I strongly oppose lap dancing clubs on moral grounds but moral grounds is not an argument that can be advanced.
A council hearing to review the club's licence is scheduled for December 1 and 2.