A campaign asking for lap dancing clubs to remain in Bristol is up and running – and it has already out-stripped the campaign for them to be banned.
As reported in Friday’s Bristol Post, the manager of Central Chambers in St Stephen Street is urging the city council to allow Sexual-Entertainment Venues (SEVs) to operate, and not to amend the licensing policy already set out.
Carrie Hale’s online petition went live on Friday in response to one started last month by member of the public Thomas Oliver.
It asked mayor George Ferguson and councillors to change the licensing policy so that no lap-dancing or strip clubs would be allowed.
As of yesterday afternoon, it had 166 signatures, but in only four days the pro lap dancing one had already garnered support from 271 people.
Miss Hale’s petition states: "This petition calls that Bristol City Council allow lap dancing clubs, gentlemen’s clubs, strip clubs and pole dancing clubs, otherwise known as SEVs, to operate in Bristol.
"The licensing policy has already been implemented and decided that the suitable number of SEVs in Bristol was three, with two other venues being forced to close to reduce numbers.
"There is huge demand for these venues, otherwise they would not exist and they do not only cater for men.
"The women and men that work in these venues are not exploited, neither are they forced to work in such venues.
"The people of Bristol should have a choice to visit such establishments and by having a nil cap this choice will be taken away."
Miss Hale’s petition is live until January 22 and can be signed at http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/2386.
In 2011, licensing chiefs agreed there should be a maximum of two SEVs in the city centre and one in Old Market. They are Central Chambers and Urban Tiger in the centre, and T3 Temptations in Old Market. The licences of all three clubs are due for renewal this autumn.
At the same time as those licensing changes, regulations governing the way such clubs were run became more stringent.
The petition for no sexual-entertainment venues in Bristol reads: "Whilst the council cannot prevent organisations from making applications to establish these kinds of venues, they are able to amend licensing policies to specify the appropriate number of these venues in particular areas.
"We therefore propose this minor amendment to licensing policy as a means to limit, reduce and potentially end the presence of sexual-entertainment venues in our city centre."
That petition closes on December 10 and can be signed here: http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/2372.
Online petitions need only 10 signatures before they can be submitted to the relevant council committee or officer.
It is then decided whether a debate is needed, a report is commissioned or, in the case of the licensing committee, whether there are grounds for a licence to be reviewed.
