Lap dancing at Cheltenham horse racing festival

[Victor23]

Big article in Daily Mail re lap-dancing in Cheltenham:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ustry.html

Surprised no-one else has spotted this. Perhaps other forum members don't read the Mail or couldn't be bothered to post, though I only saw it after my ex posted it to me.

See also

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/ ... story.html

Vic

[Victor23]

2 Pigs pub to have lap-dancing during race meetings

article

"Councillors granted the licence, with some conditions, albeit slightly reluctantly, because it emerged that any licensed venue in Cheltenham is able to host one sexual entertainment event per calendar month, for up to 24 hours at a time, without even having to inform the local authority, much less ask permission."

I had a vague idea that the local authority needed to be informed, and a not-so-vague idea that this is allowed 11 times a year, not 12 as the article implied.

(Bit late posting this, as March has been and gone, but I've only just come across this article as part of an occasional Google.)

Eroticats website

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

From 50 objections to just one as pub bids to renew lapdancing licence (Gloucestershire Live, 27/09/17):

"When the [Two Pigs] pub applied for its licence in January, more than 50 people wrote to the committee to express their objection- but after a lengthy meeting the licence was granted.

This time, only one objection has so far been received, from Councillor Flo Clucas, who wrote: 'Can my objections to the Two Pigs Sexual Entertainment Venue (SEV) application be recorded, please. My reasons are based on inappropriate location: Proximity to a Church, vulnerable adults and care leavers accommodation nearby; library and children's library nearby; residential properties nearby; other businesses and residents who might be affected by anti-social behaviour and inappropriate activity.'"

[Victor23]

As well as Fantasy taking advantage of the TENs concession (see the club's separate thread), so has Eroticats again. There've been articles in several national newspapers, including the

Daily Mail

Can't say I'm keen on an emblazoned van driving around the town, nor girls handing out flyers in the street. Many clubs with a SEV licence would only keep it if they adopted a low profile, but I guess that the authorities can't lay down relevant conditions when granting a TEN?

During Royal Ascot I've seen drunken race-goers -men and women - at a mainline station some miles away, and I have a little sympathy for the citizens of Cheltenham. Not that I think that strip events add to the problems. And if there is inappropriate behavior on the streets towards the town's womenfolk, is it necessarily by patrons of temporary strip venues?

(One of the comments appended to the article: "Cheltenham will turn into a dump. House prices will fall now. ")

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

(One of the comments appended to the article: "Cheltenham will turn into a dump. House prices will fall now.")

[Victor23]

Today's Sunday Times has a report, with a blurred photograph, on the Eroticats events at the 2Pigs pub, written by reporter Katie Glass who, fully clothed, had to fight off physical advances. She quotes several dancers' disparaging comments about the men, such "they're absolute c****". There were a couple of claims that, if true, would lose an all-the-year-round pub/club its licence.

Sounds the sort of event that gives stripping a bad name!

[Victor23]

It's that time of year again in Cheltenham and so far I've seen no afraid-to-walk-the streets stories.

The Borough Council has issued

this

warning against sexual violence and advising that there will be "lap dancing club inspections".

Eroticats's website and Facebook pages allude to activities at Cheltenham this week, but at first glance it was wasn't clear where they're taking place. I didn't bother to delve further.

However, back in February local ladies could have left their inhibitions behind when Forbidden Nights stripped off at Cheltenham Town Hall, complete with sexy circus acts, men in uniforms and thrilling fire acts.

Website

Imagine the fuss if the Town Hall had hosted a similar event featuring girls.

Incidentally, on the matter of sexual harassment in public, several dancers have recently told of behaviour on public transport with which they've had to contend, more disturbing than anything that happened when they were working.

[Victor23]

Spoke too soon.

"Rain and wind can't dull 'magical' Cheltenham crowd, but concerns over pop-up strip clubs remain "

Articles in the Daily Telegraph disappear behind a paywall, but the relevant paragraphs are:

"A local Christian organisation, Trinity Cheltenham, are spending the night handing out leaflets to racegoers warning that erotic dancers could be victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking.

The Rev Gareth Dickinson told Telegraph Sport that his team would be handing out doughnuts on Portland Street and encouraging men to avoid using the businesses who navigate local planning rules outlawing permanent strip clubs by applying for 24-hour licences.

They are targeting the men with their money and one of our concerns in Cheltenham is these women are being exploited. Anecdotally we have been told of pop-up brothels too. There are real concerns that trafficking is taking place."

[Victor23]

Lap dancing could take place during two more of Cheltenham's busy race meetings if an application from the 2 Pigs pub is successful.

"The borough council has received two objections ... The police have raised no objections to the application."

" ... people have been approached by strangers 'requesting sexual favours' during race meetings."

Yet again, the antis are using correlation to suggest causation.

[TonyN]

The Pigs win lol. So more nights.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/w ... ng-3051726

[Victor23]

Welcome sound sense from the councillors:

"... there was a serious sexual assault during The Festival the year, but a council officer said Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed that the assault was not connected to the 2 Pigs event... Commenting on the result, committee chair David Willingham (LD, St. Peters) said after the meeting: "We want everyone who is engaged with sexual entertainment, whether they are performer, operator or customer, we want them to be safe. We want everyone to be safe when they are going out in Cheltenham.

"The problem is that when you have a large influx of people, you will have a small minority who are out to cause trouble for others and a spike of crime during race week. You have to be careful to what you attribute it too."

Co-relation is not causation!

[Victor23]

Clubs applying to host lap-dancing should be members of the Night Safe scheme

[Victor23]

Club Covert in Cheltenham could become the second venue to host lap dancing nights in the town during The Festival this year.

[Victor23]

Go-ahead for a sexual entertainment licence at Club Covert

[Victor23]

"We regret to inform you that we will not be operating in March 2020 due to a lack of venues in the town. We thank everybody that has made it possible and has contributed to making it a success over the past 8 years!"

Facebook

Plenty of venues in Cheltenham, but perhaps none that wanted the hassle. I vaguely recall that during one Festival the police and council made several visits to places where there was lap-dancing to make sure all was in order.

EDIT: I tried to access the organisers' website but got this warning: "Your HomeSafe Virus Alerts are switched on and suspects this site may contain a virus".

[Victor23]

But rival organisation Eroticats have found "awesome foursome venues"

Facebook

[Victor23]

The rules behind lap dancing nights during The Festival

"All pubs can host sexual entertainment once a month without needing a special licence.
But if they want the performers to dance then they need a licence for the 'performance of dance' - sexual or not. So nudity would be okay, but only standing by the pole without dancing."

So nudity in any pub is legal, provided there's no dancing?

Reporter Leigh Boobyear appears to be confused about types of premises: "Any article, magazine or other item customers take from the venue must be discreetly wrapped when they leave."

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

Reporter Leigh Boobyear appears to be confused about types of premises: "Any article, magazine or other item customers take from the venue must be discreetly wrapped when they leave."

Ah, the ever-high standards of British local journalism! And what a surname, given the subject matter!!!

[Crusty030354]

"All pubs can host sexual entertainment once a month without needing a special licence. But if they want the performers to dance then they need a licence for the 'performance of dance' - sexual or not. So nudity would be okay, but only standing by the pole without dancing."

So nudity in any pub is legal, provided there's no dancing?

There was an interesting situation with a pub in Great Yarmouth many years ago.

Dancing was allowed provided that no clothing was removed during the dance.

First dance bra and pants.

Second dance topless.

Third dance nude.

[Victor23]

Cheltenham updates policy on adult entertainment

"After taking evidence from police, performers, operators, faith groups, objectors and councillors, changes include a move to challenge anyone looking under 25 for ID and mandatory materials about coercive control and modern slavery in the performers' changing areas."

Gosh. Groan.

Why under 25? Seems that the councillors have been listening to the usual claims. I'm surprised that they didn't want there to be leaflets about re-training for other jobs.

Policy document

2019 report, including debunking of "brothel" claims

Quite a balanced report.

"[Police] had not identified a correlation between SEV’s and an increase in disorder and crime."

"The Licencee advised that they had had incidents where feminists had attended, however, they had been politely asked to leave as a result of their behaviour towards the girls. They were also known to the door staff and so may have been turned away on occasions when it was anticipated that they would cause trouble."

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

"The Licencee advised that they had had incidents where feminists had attended, however, they had been politely asked to leave as a result of their behaviour towards the girls. They were also known to the door staff and so may have been turned away on occasions when it was anticipated that they would cause trouble."

Once again, the real attitude of the radfems towards the dancers is exposed.

[Victor23]

Optimism!

Cheltenham lap dancing nights during race meeting could still take place next year.

[pleasure_seeker]

Cheltenham Festival Punters To ‘Lap It Up’ At Eroticats Strip Club After Racing

"The Under The Prom nightclub will get ‘under starters orders’ over all four days of the Festival, after allowing lap dancing club Eroticats to create a temporary venue at the back of its property.
Earlier last year police didn’t object to the proposed application, which in the end saw only 8 challenges and over 55 votes of support."