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19
May 2021
Harrogate strip club drops legal challenge as new licence agreed
A legal challenge between Harrogate’s only strip club and the council has been dropped after the owners warned a ban on dancers drinking alcohol would “simply finish the business".
The Kings Club, on Oxford Street, had its sexual entertainment licence renewed by Harrogate Borough Council's sub-licensing committee in September.
But conditions that dancers do not drink alcohol and must be paid by bank transfer led to the owners lodging an appeal with York Magistrates Court.
An appeal hearing was due to take place on Friday next week but will not go ahead after committee members agreed to new licensing rules at a meeting today.
Speaking at the meeting, Paul Kinsey, the owner of Kings Club, told councillors that he and dancers themselves ensured they do not drink excessively “because drunk girls don’t earn money”.
He said:
Mr Kinsey also gave reassurances that dancers are escorted to a safe mode of transport at the end of their shifts, as his legal representative Paddy Whur argued an alcohol ban would “simply finish the business” due to dancers not wanting to work.
Mr Whur said:
Mr Whur also said the venue “wouldn’t get the quality of girls that we want” if payments to dancers had to be made through bank transfer.
He added:
Read more:
- Harrogate strip club granted licence renewal
- Council set to retain single-sex sessions at Turkish Baths
In September, councillors raised concerns over the safety of dancers after they heard how council officers inspected the venue in 2019 and found some panic alarms in dancing booths were not working correctly, although they were repaired the same day.
Councillors were also told the venue had been in “cahoots” with two former dancers over payments, although this was dismissed by legal representatives at the time.
It was agreed by councillors today that the venue’s new sexual entertainment licence would be renewed with the ban on dancers drinking alcohol and need for them to be paid by bank transfer removed.
The new conditions will be added to existing licensing rules, which include no physical contact between dancers and customers, no photography, no throwing of money and no use of sex toys.
The sexual entertainment licence covers topless pole dancing, topless stage striptease and full nudity lap dancing, and is separate to the venue’s alcohol and premises licence.
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