Portsmouth’s four lap-dancing clubs will not be closed down, but the city’s council has said no more licences will be granted for similar venues.
Councillors met to decide whether to ban lap dancing and consider the results of a public consultation on the topic.
The consultation attracted 3,425 responses – 1,672 of which were from outside the city. The council said 97% of all the respondents were against a total ban on the clubs.
They council voted to keep the status quo but to ban any further clubs.
Lap-dancers, bouncers, bar staff and other workers has protested outside Portsmouth Guildhall before the meeting. They waved banners saying Save our jobs and Listen to our voice, it’s our choice . ‘Better money’
Councillor Terry Hall, who wanted a total ban, spewed:
I don’t think Portsmouth is the right place because we’re a very densely populated city.
There’s nowhere in the city that isn’t close to a church or a mosque or a school or residential area and I don’t think this is the right place for them.
Perhaps they should knock down a few churches then, there doesn’t seem much call for them these days.
