DEFIANT lap dancing club bosses last night revealed they are taking the fight over the loss of their licence to the very top.
Managers at The Lodge, in Oxford city centre, yesterday signed off legal documents which will see their case taken to the High Court.
Furious campaigners hit out at the decision and warned it could open the door for other lap dancing clubs in the city.
The club, in Pennyfarthing Place, off St Ebbe’s Street, was refused a sexual entertainment venue licence by Oxford City Council last month.
But yesterday its owners said they would fight on, battling opposition from neighbours, councillors and equality campaigners.
Last night club owner Al Thompson said the venue had a good case.
He told the Oxford Mail: “We instructed a legal team.
“We are going to fight this but it is not a cheap process.”
Mr Thompson said staff could lose their jobs if lap dancing did not continue at the club.
He said: “This is not just about lap dancing, this affects a lot of people, it is how we make our living.”
But Hannah Clare, who led a protest against lap dancing clubs in Oxford earlier this month, said she hoped any High Court review upheld the council’s decision.
Miss Clare, who works at the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre, added: “The worry would be the decision could impact on future applications for these kind of places.
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.”
The council originally granted a variation to the licence for The Lodge in December 2009, to allow lap dancing, and at the time said it had no grounds to refuse it.
But, under new powers adopted by the authority in June last year, lap dancing clubs can now be refused if they are in residential areas, close to schools or play areas, near shopping centres or tourist hot spots or close to churches and other places of worship.
Under the revised Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act, the lap dancing club needed a sexual entertainment venue licence and the council refused The Lodge’s application at a hearing in February.
It was refused “on the grounds that a sexual entertainment venue at the premises would be inappropriate, having regard to the character of the relevant locality and the use to which other premises in the vicinity are put”.
Under the Act, the only challenge available to the club’s owners is to seek a judicial review in the High Court.
Tony Payne, licensing and development manager at Oxford City Council, said the authority was not in a position to comment at this stage.
He added: “They have made us aware of their intention to seek a judicial review.”
The neighbouring St Ebbe’s Church fought and lost a court appeal against the club’s licence last summer.
Earlier this month the Rev Vaughan Roberts, of the church, backed the council’s decision and said he did not believe lap dancing clubs should continue to have a base in the centre of Oxford.
Comments
I seem to remember when Bar Med was there and you would often see amblances and police cars outside to sort out the problem of the p!ssheads.
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In came the Thirst Lodge, the antisocial problems stopped, perhaps because the blokes inside have spent all of their money on boobies and dont have any left for drinking, or perhaps because its a nice evening out and people in a good mood are less likely to fight.
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If you walk past the place you cannot see what is on the inside either, its not like naked breasts are littering the street!
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And in response to Miss Clare's comment. It is very easy for those not associated with the sex industry to claim that it objectifies people, but in reality, unless you are doing it, you are in no position to make that statement. If anything it objectifies the wallets of the men (and women) who visit the place.
I seem to remember when Bar Med was there and you would often see amblances and police cars outside to sort out the problem of the p!ssheads.
.
In came the Thirst Lodge, the antisocial problems stopped, perhaps because the blokes inside have spent all of their money on boobies and dont have any left for drinking, or perhaps because its a nice evening out and people in a good mood are less likely to fight.
.
If you walk past the place you cannot see what is on the inside either, its not like naked breasts are littering the street!
.
And in response to Miss Clare's comment. It is very easy for those not associated with the sex industry to claim that it objectifies people, but in reality, unless you are doing it, you are in no position to make that statement. If anything it objectifies the wallets of the men (and women) who visit the place.
Good luck to them, hope they can get it overturned.
The club is not ‘illegal’ and the women not only choose to work there, they enjoy it. The punters do not cause excessive (if any) trouble in or around the venue, the location is fairly hidden, and they have no adult public advertising.
Why don’t the narrow-minded individuals kicking up such a stink put more effort into shutting down the illegal brothels around the city, where you can pretty much guarantee the women ‘on offer’ are being forced to work, or working due to drug or alcohol addictions. It’s not hard to find them, just pick up any local free paper……. so much wasted time and money focusing on a legitimate club when there are genuine women suffering, pathetic.
Good luck to them, hope they can get it overturned.
The club is not ‘illegal’ and the women not only choose to work there, they enjoy it. The punters do not cause excessive (if any) trouble in or around the venue, the location is fairly hidden, and they have no adult public advertising.
Why don’t the narrow-minded individuals kicking up such a stink put more effort into shutting down the illegal brothels around the city, where you can pretty much guarantee the women ‘on offer’ are being forced to work, or working due to drug or alcohol addictions. It’s not hard to find them, just pick up any local free paper……. so much wasted time and money focusing on a legitimate club when there are genuine women suffering, pathetic.
Our nanny council want to protect our morals. I would rather walk past this club than walk past some of the drunks in George Street at night.
Our nanny council want to protect our morals. I would rather walk past this club than walk past some of the drunks in George Street at night.
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.”
This is Carnal Ah Hen who escaped from the Way of the World column in the Daily Telegraph just before it shut down. No one else has ever talked in such a peculiar way.
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.”
This is Carnal Ah Hen who escaped from the Way of the World column in the Daily Telegraph just before it shut down. No one else has ever talked in such a peculiar way.
good luck to them!
wonder if Hannah Clare read the story about the poor girl who was raped in Church Cowley?? Maybe she should focus her attentions on having the Templars Square shopping centre shut down or something?? seems deadly around those streets. Now can anyone point me to the statistics that show the last rape case directly related to a licensed strip bar?
good luck to them!
wonder if Hannah Clare read the story about the poor girl who was raped in Church Cowley?? Maybe she should focus her attentions on having the Templars Square shopping centre shut down or something?? seems deadly around those streets. Now can anyone point me to the statistics that show the last rape case directly related to a licensed strip bar?
I would pay those girls to keep there clothes on! Good god - OCC needs to get trading standards in there for false advertising - those girls look nothing like the one on the billboard on Botley Road - the girl on the botley road poster actually looks like a girl, not a man in drag haha
I must agrre with everone .How many times has anyone seen an ambulance or a police car outside sorting out the fighting and the drunks.No splashing your way through urine and vomit .Good luck to them.Live and let live.These narrow minded bigots should get a life, bot i don't suppose there are happy unless they are trying to rune everyone else's life as well.Telling us what we can and cannot do.
I must agrre with everone .How many times has anyone seen an ambulance or a police car outside sorting out the fighting and the drunks.No splashing your way through urine and vomit .Good luck to them.Live and let live.These narrow minded bigots should get a life, bot i don't suppose there are happy unless they are trying to rune everyone else's life as well.Telling us what we can and cannot do.
sparky123456 wrote…
good luck to them! wonder if Hannah Clare read the story about the poor girl who was raped in Church Cowley?? Maybe she should focus her attentions on having the Templars Square shopping centre shut down or something?? seems deadly around those streets. Now can anyone point me to the statistics that show the last rape case directly related to a licensed strip bar?
Umm yes, Just down the road in Henley last November! Im sure the girls at the lodge will be fine though - given the photo above..
http://www.henleysta
ndard.co.uk/news/new
s.php?tabp=y&id=8362
02
sparky123456 wrote…
good luck to them! wonder if Hannah Clare read the story about the poor girl who was raped in Church Cowley?? Maybe she should focus her attentions on having the Templars Square shopping centre shut down or something?? seems deadly around those streets. Now can anyone point me to the statistics that show the last rape case directly related to a licensed strip bar?
Umm yes, Just down the road in Henley last November! Im sure the girls at the lodge will be fine though - given the photo above..
http://www.henleysta
ndard.co.uk/news/new
s.php?tabp=y&id=8362
02
It's all a storm in a teacup. För me the biggest scandal would be getting charged to see the girls in the picture lapdance.
I've seen better looking mares at the races.
It's all a storm in a teacup. För me the biggest scandal would be getting charged to see the girls in the picture lapdance.
I've seen better looking mares at the races.
Although it our money that we will lose, I hope the lodge win and give the council a bl00dy good hiding, maybe only then will they learn that they are paid for and elected by us, to represent us, not to dictate to us.
Although it our money that we will lose, I hope the lodge win and give the council a bl00dy good hiding, maybe only then will they learn that they are paid for and elected by us, to represent us, not to dictate to us.
I have to disagree here, I dont think its right that these clubs are getting intergrated into our neighbourhoods. Im a female in my early 20's Ive struggled to work hard to get where I am, I dont think its right for these girls to consider this sort of thing as a job as an alternative to working at Sainsburys, They do not provide a service to these men that go here - Brothels provide a service, clubs if anything will only cause more frustration to men, especially if they are having to part with lots of money. I wonder if all the people who comment on here have daughters - Would they be ok with them working in these jobs? Because once one gets in - then you will have 10, If a man is inside a strip clud and he leaves the club and see girls walking past on a night out in short skirts etc - has the fact he just came from the club make them safer?!!!
My opinion:
Close the clubs
Move the brothels out of town to somewhere like an industrial estate so it gets them out of the neighbourhoods
Legalise Prostitution and get Tax from that.
Use the tax to save all of the services we are seeing dissappear at the moment.
I have to disagree here, I dont think its right that these clubs are getting intergrated into our neighbourhoods. Im a female in my early 20's Ive struggled to work hard to get where I am, I dont think its right for these girls to consider this sort of thing as a job as an alternative to working at Sainsburys, They do not provide a service to these men that go here - Brothels provide a service, clubs if anything will only cause more frustration to men, especially if they are having to part with lots of money. I wonder if all the people who comment on here have daughters - Would they be ok with them working in these jobs? Because once one gets in - then you will have 10, If a man is inside a strip clud and he leaves the club and see girls walking past on a night out in short skirts etc - has the fact he just came from the club make them safer?!!!
My opinion:
Close the clubs
Move the brothels out of town to somewhere like an industrial estate so it gets them out of the neighbourhoods
Legalise Prostitution and get Tax from that.
Use the tax to save all of the services we are seeing dissappear at the moment.
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.”
Perhaps in the interests of equal opportunities, they could have a section containing some male erotic dancers also.
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.”
Perhaps in the interests of equal opportunities, they could have a section containing some male erotic dancers also.
LoveOxford wrote…
I have to disagree here, I dont think its right that these clubs are getting intergrated into our neighbourhoods. Im a female in my early 20's Ive struggled to work hard to get where I am, I dont think its right for these girls to consider this sort of thing as a job as an alternative to working at Sainsburys, They do not provide a service to these men that go here - Brothels provide a service, clubs if anything will only cause more frustration to men, especially if they are having to part with lots of money. I wonder if all the people who comment on here have daughters - Would they be ok with them working in these jobs? Because once one gets in - then you will have 10, If a man is inside a strip clud and he leaves the club and see girls walking past on a night out in short skirts etc - has the fact he just came from the club make them safer?!!! My opinion: Close the clubs Move the brothels out of town to somewhere like an industrial estate so it gets them out of the neighbourhoods Legalise Prostitution and get Tax from that. Use the tax to save all of the services we are seeing dissappear at the moment.
well up until not too long ago you wouldn't find women working in many environments and as they say the sex trade is the worlds oldest! you can't have sexual equality then wander around trying to talk for everyone. I don't have a daughter and im in my late twenties. I have visited this club with colleagues and have been to other similar clubs on stag do's etc the girls aren't objectified. They know full well they can make £300+ per night by dancing, whereas Sainsburys would pay them about £5.80p/h. Most of these girls will probably model for car mags, lads mags, **** mags, attend promo events. So you're basically saying that as males if we see women in underwear or semi nude we can't control a desire to rape?? I think you should leave oxford and possibly head to saudi, sounds like the dress code there will be more to your liking?!
LoveOxford wrote…
I have to disagree here, I dont think its right that these clubs are getting intergrated into our neighbourhoods. Im a female in my early 20's Ive struggled to work hard to get where I am, I dont think its right for these girls to consider this sort of thing as a job as an alternative to working at Sainsburys, They do not provide a service to these men that go here - Brothels provide a service, clubs if anything will only cause more frustration to men, especially if they are having to part with lots of money. I wonder if all the people who comment on here have daughters - Would they be ok with them working in these jobs? Because once one gets in - then you will have 10, If a man is inside a strip clud and he leaves the club and see girls walking past on a night out in short skirts etc - has the fact he just came from the club make them safer?!!! My opinion: Close the clubs Move the brothels out of town to somewhere like an industrial estate so it gets them out of the neighbourhoods Legalise Prostitution and get Tax from that. Use the tax to save all of the services we are seeing dissappear at the moment.
well up until not too long ago you wouldn't find women working in many environments and as they say the sex trade is the worlds oldest! you can't have sexual equality then wander around trying to talk for everyone. I don't have a daughter and im in my late twenties. I have visited this club with colleagues and have been to other similar clubs on stag do's etc the girls aren't objectified. They know full well they can make £300+ per night by dancing, whereas Sainsburys would pay them about £5.80p/h. Most of these girls will probably model for car mags, lads mags, **** mags, attend promo events. So you're basically saying that as males if we see women in underwear or semi nude we can't control a desire to rape?? I think you should leave oxford and possibly head to saudi, sounds like the dress code there will be more to your liking?!
LoveOxford wrote…
sparky123456 wrote…
8362 02
ya got me BUT....
lets wait for the outcome of that, was it in the club or in the car park and unrelated? has anyone actually been prosecuted? aside from that take the case of the Lodge, no related or reported cases of rape, violence or anything. Now take central Oxford theres countless violent crimes, a couple of murders and a few rapes in the last 12 months alone!! Take that nationally and you'll find it repeats across every town. Are nudie girls bad or is alcohol worse?
LoveOxford wrote…
sparky123456 wrote…
8362 02
ya got me BUT....
lets wait for the outcome of that, was it in the club or in the car park and unrelated? has anyone actually been prosecuted? aside from that take the case of the Lodge, no related or reported cases of rape, violence or anything. Now take central Oxford theres countless violent crimes, a couple of murders and a few rapes in the last 12 months alone!! Take that nationally and you'll find it repeats across every town. Are nudie girls bad or is alcohol worse?
LoveOxford, Abingdon...I think the point is being missed. Consulting adults decide to go and see lapdancing, consulting women choose to dance for these customers.
Regardless of what your moral standpoint is on this matter, the choice must be upto every individual.
I personally would'nt be seen dead in such a place as The Lodge. But I don't see any reason to close the place, just because it's not the kind of place I want to go to.
As far as I know the girls are'nt sexually stimulating their customers, so no law is being broken.
Some women like to go and watch male strippers perform, some men like to go and see lapdancing.
Should we close all venues that cater for this type of entertainment, just because certain individuals don't approve?
LoveOxford, Abingdon...I think the point is being missed. Consulting adults decide to go and see lapdancing, consulting women choose to dance for these customers.
Regardless of what your moral standpoint is on this matter, the choice must be upto every individual.
I personally would'nt be seen dead in such a place as The Lodge. But I don't see any reason to close the place, just because it's not the kind of place I want to go to.
As far as I know the girls are'nt sexually stimulating their customers, so no law is being broken.
Some women like to go and watch male strippers perform, some men like to go and see lapdancing.
Should we close all venues that cater for this type of entertainment, just because certain individuals don't approve?
philg wrote…
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.” Perhaps in the interests of equal opportunities, they could have a section containing some male erotic dancers also.
Well - they could but would anyone actually pay to watch male erotic dancers?? even if very drunk!
philg wrote…
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.” Perhaps in the interests of equal opportunities, they could have a section containing some male erotic dancers also.
Well - they could but would anyone actually pay to watch male erotic dancers?? even if very drunk!
JanetJ wrote…
philg wrote…
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.” Perhaps in the interests of equal opportunities, they could have a section containing some male erotic dancers also.
Actually yes, as the millions who have sold out countless world tours by The Chippendales will testify.
JanetJ wrote…
philg wrote…
“This is part of an industry that objectifies women’s bodies.” Perhaps in the interests of equal opportunities, they could have a section containing some male erotic dancers also.
Actually yes, as the millions who have sold out countless world tours by The Chippendales will testify.