NAKED dancers could be forced by police to cover-up and wear G-strings if they are women and posing pouches if they are men at a proposed lap dancing club in Worcester.

Police do not object in principle to granting a licence to the Black Cherry in The Butts, Worcester, at what used to be Images and then Funk nightclub, but want to attach conditions to make sure the venue is tightly controlled.

Your Worcester News has already reported how Worcester City Council failed to adopt 2009 legislation so the application must be considered under the less strict 2003 rules.

The application cannot be considered as a “sexual entertainment venue” because the legislation was not adopted and must be viewed by the licensing committee as a straightforward premises licence application.

The consultation for objection has now closed but opponents of the scheme could only object to the licence being granted under four headings: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

However, a letter from Inspector Jane Francis, of West Mercia Police, to licensing officer Carl Phillips suggests the force is making up for the council not adopting the new laws with its own demands.

The letter by Insp Francis says full nudity should be permitted only within designated areas. She said: “In all other areas within the premises the performers and employees must at all times wear at least a G-string (female) and/or pouch (male) covering the genitalia.”

During private dances there must be no deliberate contact by the performer with the patron except where they lead them by the hand to a private room, a handshake greeting at the beginning or ending of the performance, a customary “peck on the cheek” and the placing of cash or dance vouchers into the hand or garter of the performer.

The scheme has provoked opposition, including from Councillor Lynn Denham, wife of the licensing committee’s chairman, Paul Denham.

Coun Denham wrote: “Due to its public accessibility, the Hive has suffered from anti-social behaviour inside the building from street drinkers, homeless people and congregations of teenagers.

“It would be detrimental to the achieved levels of public safety to have a new source of alcohol so close by throughout the Hive’s opening hours.”

The application is expected to come before the licensing committee on Thursday, September 26.