XX CLOSED OX1 1QS Thirst Lodge, Oxford

[Moonraker]

Oxfordshire has hardly been a hotbed for lap-dancing, but just as one venue opens in Henley-on-Thames, another is planned in Oxford - close to a church.

click here

The application does seem to be tempting providence in one way - or another in that what some would see as an insensitive location provides fresh ammunition for critics of the industry.

[zante]

I don't buy the close to bit - most of Shoreditch is close to a church!

[Moonraker]

And the WHHW is just 250 metres from a mosque, Friday services at which can mean it can take a little longer to find a convenient parking space.

[Moonraker]

Following the management's decision not to open Diamonds and Pearls in Henley, the promoters of the proposed club in Oxford have also cancelled their plans:

see here

(See the"proposed venue in Henley-on-Thames; newspaper poll" thread for the latest on Diamonds & Pearls, which at the moment is open.)

[Likumbig]

Following the management's decision not to open Diamonds and Pearls in Henley, the promoters of the proposed club in Oxford have also cancelled their plans:

see here

Bugger it!.

[johnburgess]

This opened last November on Oxpens road in the old Coven night club building. Haven't been myself yet (I'm more a lunch time aficionado and they don't open until 9pm) but it seems to be doing OK.

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

Apparently, Oxford City Council has decided to revoke the licence for striptease, on the basis what appears to be little more than hearsay:


Oxford Council Destroys the Jobs of 50 Lap Dancers…Because…A local lady said she heard some rude comments (Melon Farmers blog)

Lap dancing club stripped of its licence (Oxford Mail)

[Tyke]

From my reading of the situation Oxford have not proposed a 'nil' policy therefore this can be appealed in the normal way. The 'evidence' the council seems to have given seems to all be anecdotal and almost certainly invented in the usual Object manner so I'd expect them to win the appeal and the council will end up paying damages.

Tyke

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

From my reading of the situation Oxford have not proposed a 'nil' policy therefore this can be appealed in the normal way.

That's certainly true. However, there does seem to be a pattern of local authorities imposing 'nil' policies once there are no clubs operating within their boundaries, so this situation is worth watching.

The 'evidence' the council seems to have given seems to all be anecdotal and almost certainly invented in the usual Object manner so I'd expect them to win the appeal and the council will end up paying damages.

Indeed. For anyone who's interested, here's a summary of the responses to the online consultation:

http://mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/document ... pendix.pdf


And here's a copy of the renewal application, together with copies of the individual replies to the consultation:

http://mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/document ... ge%203.pdf


(Both documents are in PDF format).

[Victor23]

The club has won a reprieve pending an appeal to the High Court.

see here

Vic

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

Could set a precedent...

[TS_Jabroni]

Looks open with a relatively recently updated website.

http://thelodgeoxford.com/index2.php

Might check this place out next week. Will post review if I do.

[TS_Jabroni]

Popped in here the other day. Not really my kind of place. Very "clubby". Was quite early (10.30pm) but they don't do private dances until 11. Had a standard £20 dance (seemed a little short). Wasn't overly impressed. Probably won't bother going again. They seem more set up for parties.

[Victor23]

case in High Court

Seems a lame reason for closure - nearby ice-rink used by children; shouldn't they be home in bed by 2200, when the club opens?


Vic

[Victor23]

The Lodge lost its case in the High Court:

read here

Yet, as one the comments appended to the article points out, the Dream Boys male glamour show is appearing at an Oxford theatre as part of a nationwide tour.

Vic

[Victor23]

The club is to appeal against the decision:

read here

Bizarrely, the QC for the council had admitted that allegations of harassment of the public were "anonymous hearsay".

Vic

[Victor23]

update

Vic

[Victor23]

Still open, but faces demolition:

article

Vic

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

The link between a development agenda and the council's keenness to see the club closed comes as no surprise.

[Victor23]

Judges have backed a Council decision to refuse a licence for The Lodge.

article

Vic

[Victor23]

Now a burlesque bar for the rest of the year.

article

Vic

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

"Objections against the sex entertainment licence came from Oxford Feminist Network, among others, and the group carried out a survey of women in the area, some of whom claimed they had been 'harassed' by customers leaving the club."

Might be time for another Freedom of Information Request...

[The Great Smell Of Brute]

And I see that Oxford City Council is keen to ban all manner of filth:

Oxford City Council apologises after Passion Play it 'mistook for live sex show' is cancelled (The Independent)

[Victor23]

Odd. My idle Googling led me to a stag-party organiser who was promising delights at a top Oxford lap-dancing venue. Only the Lodge came to mind and when I queried this with the organisers I got an email back referring me to

this

Apparently it's different to other "lap dancing clubs as it's one of the top burlesque venues in the region". At the same time "this is a burlesque style club where the girls wear nipple tassels" and, presumably, knickers.

The Lodge website

promises "private burlesque dances in our opulent VIP booths" and a Facebook entry for October 11 promised "fully nude dancing all night long", presumably under the TENS 11-times-a-year concession. Facebook entries also include many half-price entry offers provided you give a password.

[Victor23]

The Lodge is to move its burlesque entertainment back to the city centre:

article