CONTROVERSIAL plans for a lap dancing club in Worcester are set to be withdrawn today in response to public outrage – but the applicant is still looking to open a club elsewhere in the city.
The proposal to open the club in the Butts, Worcester was due to be heard by Worcester City Council’s licensing committee tomorrow, but the applicant has opted to withdraw it because of objections raised by the public. The club, once called Images and then Funk, had been a lap dancing club in the past.
A spokesman for applicant Ash Patel said he remained committed to opening Black Cherry in Worcester and he is now looking at finding a site which would be deemed more suitable.
The spokesman said Mr Patel was responding to concerns about the club’s close proximity to the Hive, Worcester’s library and history centre after some objectors expressed concerns about “the corruption of the young” if teenagers using the Hive encountered the club’s visitors. He said: “Some campaigners will score this as a moral victory but there is a very good chance the licence would have been granted. There was nothing in the application which would breach the licensing guidelines. Some of the objections were rather speculative.”
He also pointed out that the Hive itself had a licence to serve alcohol just as the strip club would have enjoyed, had its premises licence been granted.
Mr Patel is now looking for an alternative Worcetser venue “in a more appropriate location”.
“Despite being quite confident there were no grounds to refuse this application he’s sensitive to the concerns of people who have made representations against the application,” said the spokesman. “The police are not against it with no objection in principle and are happy to impose certain conditions which are standard in the industry.”
We previously reported how Worcester City Council had failed to adopt 2009 legislation so the application had to be considered under less strict 2003 rules. The application could not be considered as a “sexual entertainment venue” because the legislation was not adopted, an oversight already condemned by the licensing committee chairman, Coun Paul Denham. The application, had it come to the committee this week, would have been viewed as a straightforward premises licence application instead.
While not objecting the the application, West Mercia Police had called for a host of rules to be put in place to govern activity at the club.
Comments
I think this shows that the applicants are decent enough to listen to public opinion, even though only 0.01% of the population of Worcester objected to it., not exactly a big 'Lobby' Mrs Denham!
I hope that when this club does eventually open in another venue , Cllr Denham and her prudish friends will at least visit the club so that she can at least have a valid opinion on the matter based on fact not uninformed speculation from an archaic moral standpoint.
I think this shows that the applicants are decent enough to listen to public opinion, even though only 0.01% of the population of Worcester objected to it., not exactly a big 'Lobby' Mrs Denham!
I hope that when this club does eventually open in another venue , Cllr Denham and her prudish friends will at least visit the club so that she can at least have a valid opinion on the matter based on fact not uninformed speculation from an archaic moral standpoint.
I am aware of the application of this licence. I will also say that I know that the applicant Mr Patel would have been given the green light to open the premises Black Cherry. However, even to my surprise Mr Patel has withdrawn the application which has cost him thousands. This shows that he takes the fellow public's opinion into consideration, even though the small minority 'Cllr Denham' would not have stopped the opening of his club. It seems that Mr Patel is now going to find a premises which is more suitable. WHAT A BLOKE!
I am aware of the application of this licence. I will also say that I know that the applicant Mr Patel would have been given the green light to open the premises Black Cherry. However, even to my surprise Mr Patel has withdrawn the application which has cost him thousands. This shows that he takes the fellow public's opinion into consideration, even though the small minority 'Cllr Denham' would not have stopped the opening of his club. It seems that Mr Patel is now going to find a premises which is more suitable. WHAT A BLOKE!
You have to give it to him. What he has decided to do seems well beyond the call of duty. I am now waiting for Cllr Denham to start moaning about the empty buildings in Worcester. But then again if you scare everyone away then they will never be filled.
You have to give it to him. What he has decided to do seems well beyond the call of duty. I am now waiting for Cllr Denham to start moaning about the empty buildings in Worcester. But then again if you scare everyone away then they will never be filled.
im sure it would be of more of a profit , if he took his seedy venture to birmingham.
im sure it would be of more of a profit , if he took his seedy venture to birmingham.
Oh for goodness sake - the prudes on here make me sick! When it was Images, the downstairs used to have pole dancing, so this is not a new development. The lap dancing would not be visible from the main road or from the precious Hive. if the permission was based on minimal signage, what was the issue.
Would you rather the building remained empty and degraded even more or was used for tax-paying business which would have employed local people?
Oh for goodness sake - the prudes on here make me sick! When it was Images, the downstairs used to have pole dancing, so this is not a new development. The lap dancing would not be visible from the main road or from the precious Hive. if the permission was based on minimal signage, what was the issue.
Would you rather the building remained empty and degraded even more or was used for tax-paying business which would have employed local people?
I'd like to know how the youngsters using the Hive were going to come into contact with patrons of this club when the Hive is open in the daytime and the club would be open at night. Absolutely ridiculous. As was said when the story originally hit, if you don't want to see lap-dancing then don't go to the club. Personally I couldn't care less if Worcester has a lap-dancing club and not being someone who frequents the area late at night I'm also not going to meet any of the patrons. Blimey, there's been a sex shop in Lowesmoor for years. What's the difference?! If men want to spend their leisure time in this way then what right has anyone else to stop them. It's not like any laws are being broken.
I'd like to know how the youngsters using the Hive were going to come into contact with patrons of this club when the Hive is open in the daytime and the club would be open at night. Absolutely ridiculous. As was said when the story originally hit, if you don't want to see lap-dancing then don't go to the club. Personally I couldn't care less if Worcester has a lap-dancing club and not being someone who frequents the area late at night I'm also not going to meet any of the patrons. Blimey, there's been a sex shop in Lowesmoor for years. What's the difference?! If men want to spend their leisure time in this way then what right has anyone else to stop them. It's not like any laws are being broken.
I wonder if Councillor Denham and her crew are going to find a more suitable use for this building or shall we just leave it as one of the worst looking derelict buildings in Worcester, right opposite the 'best'?
I wonder if Councillor Denham and her crew are going to find a more suitable use for this building or shall we just leave it as one of the worst looking derelict buildings in Worcester, right opposite the 'best'?
A new lap dancing club is being proposed next week - next door to Clowncillor Denham's house. No objections I assume.
A new lap dancing club is being proposed next week - next door to Clowncillor Denham's house. No objections I assume.
It seems that Councillor Lynn Denham is more worried about blocking a legit business but less concerned about a proposed massage parlour opening. Well done for representing the views of local residents! I would much prefer a well managed gentleman's club than a massage parlour!
It seems that Councillor Lynn Denham is more worried about blocking a legit business but less concerned about a proposed massage parlour opening. Well done for representing the views of local residents! I would much prefer a well managed gentleman's club than a massage parlour!
I've followed this story from the start and applaud Mr Patel for his public spirited action although I really don't think that prudish, post menopausal women should be the moral guardians of Worcester...we are adults, we can make up our own minds. I believe our elected representatives could better represent us by applying themselves to more pressing local issues.
This business will presumably offer employment to numerous local people from the reception to the bar in addition to the dancers at a time when jobs are few and far between..
I've followed this story from the start and applaud Mr Patel for his public spirited action although I really don't think that prudish, post menopausal women should be the moral guardians of Worcester...we are adults, we can make up our own minds. I believe our elected representatives could better represent us by applying themselves to more pressing local issues.
This business will presumably offer employment to numerous local people from the reception to the bar in addition to the dancers at a time when jobs are few and far between..
Well she would not get a job there!
Well she would not get a job there!
The picture is a bit grim could make a good deterent or even bouncer with just one look.
But it's been done to appease the Cathedral Voters yet again.
The picture is a bit grim could make a good deterent or even bouncer with just one look.
But it's been done to appease the Cathedral Voters yet again.
Old fashioned (pre 1960s) CONTROL FREAKS need to be IGNORED, yet again, it seems... BUT NO, they RULE - yet again, it seems....
Old fashioned (pre 1960s) CONTROL FREAKS need to be IGNORED, yet again, it seems... BUT NO, they RULE - yet again, it seems....
Well she would not get a job there!
I really don't think that prudish, post menopausal women should be the moral guardians of Worcester...we are adults,
I'm sure there is no need to get personal and insult women to get your point across.
Well she would not get a job there!
I really don't think that prudish, post menopausal women should be the moral guardians of Worcester...we are adults,
I'm sure there is no need to get personal and insult women to get your point across.