Lap Dancing in the North West

Authorities in Blackpool have begun a process they hope will eradicate the town's lap dancing clubs for good in an attempt to make it more family friendly.

There are currently four clubs operating in the resort, but Councillor Adrian Hutton, who chairs the licensing committee, hopes that will drop to zero in the next few years. Hutton said:

Rather than the council forcing venues to cease trading immediately, it is taking a softly, softly approach. When one closes or loses its licence under its current owner we will not renew the licence for anybody else who came along.

He believes the clubs' popularity is because of stag and hen parties which can have a negative effect on Blackpool's image as a family destination:

Those in favour of preserving them argue that their existence has no negative impact on the culture of the city - and, if anything, is good for the local economy.

Toni Mansell, a stripper for ten years responded:

When the clubs do close, a number of women will inevitably lose their jobs. Sex workers are a very disenfranchised faction of people and appear to be under the chopping block all the time.

Blackpool Council wants to create a monopoly for 1 sex shop to be allowed in the town and also it wants to ban any new lap dancing clubs, presumably on grounds of its view on morality.

Councillors are being asked to approve a new policy which would permit only one monopoly sex shop, and which would ban new lap dancing clubs.

Four existing clubs would be allowed to continue operating, but once those licences lapse for any reason they would not be renewed.

Licensing chiefs say the move better reflects Blackpool's aim to be a 'family' resort, and its support of the White Ribbon campaign against adult entertainment.

Members of the council's licensing committee are being asked to agree to reduce the number of permitted sex shops from the current two, down to one.

The policywill go before the council's licensing committee on Tuesday January 19 for consideration.

A Blackpool lap dancing club has been allowed to keep its licence after councillors dismissed unsubstantiated allegations against the operator.

The licensee appeared before a meeting of the council's public protection sub-committee after an objection was received to his application to renew the sexual entertainment venue licence at Sinless on Central Promenade.

The meeting heard allegations had been made against Mr Newton that he had acted inappropriately towards female performers, encouraged drug taking and allowed under-age drinking and performing.

The authority found no evidence to back up the claims.

Norway Today has reported about the latest attempt by Chinese citizens to censor material in other countries It involves a delegation of more than 40 Chinese cross-country skiers, along with 15 coaches and managers, who are in the Norwegian municipality of Meråker to train for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics:

The Chinese visitors have whinged about books in the local library that are banned in China. Among the books the delegation wanted removed is one about the Falun Gong movement that has been banned in China since 1999.

Thankfully the library has refused categorically to remove any books. The library manager said:

We have freedom of speech in Norway so that was completely out of the question. It's only a small incident, easily overlooked. But if it can happen in a tiny local library in the depths of Norway, just because a few Chinese skiers were training there, it is highly likely to start happening in other places, where more Chinese citizens are present, and where China has greater economic and political influence.