Councillors Welcome New Striptease Bill

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Jun 2008

Local councillors Ursula and Stefan outside the Archway Tavern, the scene of a recent licensing battle.

Liberal Democrat councillors this week welcomed action in Parliament to change the rules about licensing lap-dancing clubs. Last October Lib Dem councillors fought against an application to turn the historic Archway Tavern into a lap-dancing club, but found themselves hamstrung by the licensing laws passed by the Labour Government- which don't allow councils in London to apply special conditions to bars becoming "sex encounter establishments" if they already have a license to serve alcohol.

MPs voted for changing the rules about licensing strip clubs, arguing that the law is inappropriate to deal with the issues they raise for nearby residents. The new Bill will seek to strengthen and add to the criteria that council licensing committees can take into account.

Councillor Tracy Ismail, the Lib Dem chair of the Licensing Committee, said:

"MPs have finally realised that local communities need more say in whether lap-dancing clubs should be opening near their homes.

"The new Bill will help local people fight against erotic clubs in their neighbourhoods. I'll be calling on the Lib Dems in Parliament and Islington's MPs to do everything they can to support this as it passes through Parliament."

Councillor Ursula Woolley, ward councillor for the area around the Archway Tavern, commented:

"This is a residential area with young families, and not the right place for seedy striptease - but Labour's licensing laws didn't make the distinction. We had a tough fight last year against proposals to turn the Archway Tavern into a strip club, and we need the Government to wake up to the fact that the law needs changing."