2b Whitworth Street West, Manchester
(0161) 238 9019
Review from what happens at night:
Traditionally the home of the wastrel, the socially backward and the computer programmer, the up market strip bar has become rather like an over friendly drunken uncle at Christmas reunions. Often seen as an embarrassment, no one likes to talk about them and yet they don’t do anything legally wrong, but sometimes you can think they are a bit morally unsound.
This is not the case with the newest gig in town, Obsession, hopefully not named after the overpowering 80’s scent of the same name. But with a similar feel to it.
As you enter the place dark reds and blacks with intricacies of gold lacquer, adorn 80’s style walls, with matching dark ruby red velvet booths to match the feel.
The drinks at a reasonable £5 but meant to be high enough to stop the cheaper beer buying element, is waitress served, immaculately tidied up, and just about justifies the price tag.
The drinking area, has a pole in the middle of the bar, for individual dancers, for intimacy, but only seems to makes buyers self conscious about buying drinks and dancers whilst the principle of the separate seating areas for lap dancing has been created to take away the ‘everyone has a free dance’ fun of more relaxed places.
The girls: are girls and nice enough with a full range for the discerning eye, mainly being home grown talent and natural and so depending on your tastes, you do wonder where the fantasy and fun has gone from obsession.
However, they have only just opened, and with the management open to new ideas and with just opened truly lovely VIP area for the slightly better healed young gent, this gentlemen’s club could come up smelling like ‘the one’ rather than Blue Stratos.
** M1 5WZ Obsession, Manchester
Re: ** M1 5WZ Obsession, Manchester
Not Buying It suggests "sexual contact" with customers was happening
at Obsession and Victoria clubs.
at Obsession and Victoria clubs.
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The Great Smell Of Brute
- "Nice arse!"
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:09 pm
- Location: London
Re: ** M1 5WZ Obsession, Manchester
From the BBC News article linked to above:
"[Manchester City Council] launched its inquiry after receiving a dossier and video footage from pressure group Not Buying It that suggested 'sexual contact' with customers was happening at the clubs.
Not Buying It aims to raise awareness of the harm it says is caused by the porn and sex trade, and campaigns for change.
While looking into the venues - which offer 'full, nude lap dances in "discreet" private rooms' - the council said it also heard claims some performers had engaged in prostitution with punters.
But neither the local authority nor Greater Manchester Police found any evidence to support the prostitution allegations.
'In both instances the view was taken that "sexual contact" was mainly limited to performers sitting on the laps of customers,' said a council spokesperson."
(Bold emphasis is mine).
I think people should be reminded that Not Buying It also broke club rules by paying private investigators to film undercover (without the consent of the dancers involved, it should be added), and that a court case is ongoing to determine whether they also broke the law in doing so.
"[Manchester City Council] launched its inquiry after receiving a dossier and video footage from pressure group Not Buying It that suggested 'sexual contact' with customers was happening at the clubs.
Not Buying It aims to raise awareness of the harm it says is caused by the porn and sex trade, and campaigns for change.
While looking into the venues - which offer 'full, nude lap dances in "discreet" private rooms' - the council said it also heard claims some performers had engaged in prostitution with punters.
But neither the local authority nor Greater Manchester Police found any evidence to support the prostitution allegations.
'In both instances the view was taken that "sexual contact" was mainly limited to performers sitting on the laps of customers,' said a council spokesperson."
(Bold emphasis is mine).
I think people should be reminded that Not Buying It also broke club rules by paying private investigators to film undercover (without the consent of the dancers involved, it should be added), and that a court case is ongoing to determine whether they also broke the law in doing so.
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pleasure_seeker
- Appreciative connoisseur of female form
- Posts: 423
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:28 pm
Re: ** M1 5WZ Obsession, Manchester
Licence renewed in Feb 2023 for another year.
Newspaper reports and the BBC tending to dwell on the comments from the single objector making evidence-free claims about the venue being "seedy".
But, as the spokesperson for the venue patiently explained..
"Heath Thomas, for Obsessions, told the town hall hearing the objection was on 'moral grounds', which is not a reason to refuse the licence. Also, police had inspected the premises and said it was meeting the conditions of its licence."
Newspaper reports and the BBC tending to dwell on the comments from the single objector making evidence-free claims about the venue being "seedy".
But, as the spokesperson for the venue patiently explained..
"Heath Thomas, for Obsessions, told the town hall hearing the objection was on 'moral grounds', which is not a reason to refuse the licence. Also, police had inspected the premises and said it was meeting the conditions of its licence."
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The Great Smell Of Brute
- "Nice arse!"
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:09 pm
- Location: London
Re: ** M1 5WZ Obsession, Manchester
The words of the sole objector, as quoted in the articles linked to above:
"I live in Deansgate ward and have frequently thought that the presence of the strip club Obsessions, on the doorstep of one of our big intercity stations, brings the area into disrepute.
"Its exterior is poorly maintained, hinting at the seedy activity that occurs within.
"It seems very strange that visitors to our beautiful and culturally rich city centre... have to walk past the front door of such a repulsive establishment as they form their first impression of Manchester."
"I live in Deansgate ward and have frequently thought that the presence of the strip club Obsessions, on the doorstep of one of our big intercity stations, brings the area into disrepute.
"Its exterior is poorly maintained, hinting at the seedy activity that occurs within.
"It seems very strange that visitors to our beautiful and culturally rich city centre... have to walk past the front door of such a repulsive establishment as they form their first impression of Manchester."
