No sex please, we’re in Oldham

Oldham Town Centre partnership reports 

Ban on pole dancing and strip show venues
A BAN is set to be slapped on lap and pole dancing bars in Oldham town centre.

A zero-tolerance policy is being drawn up for “sexual entertainment venues” by council chiefs who say that they “lower the tone”.

Licences would not be granted for lap dancing, table dancing, pole dancing or strip shows unless in exceptional circumstances.

Elsewhere in the borough, applications can expect to be refused if they are close to homes, parks, schools, places of worship, community buildings or pubs and clubs.

Councillor Rod Blyth, cabinet member for public protection and community safety, said research showed that sexual crimes such as soliciting increased around these venues.

He told the Oldham Chronicle: “It is not the right image for the town centre.

“We are trying to create a town centre that is more family orientated; you wouldn’t want to take your family or your children around that sort of establishment.

“We have tried to control happy hours and drunkenness in the town centre to try and make it a more friendly place for everyone to visit at night, not just young people.

“Lap dancing clubs tend to attract stag nights and generally lower the tone of the town centre.”

Local councils have been given new powers by the government to license sexual entertainment venues.

Officers say that the town centre is the main place where these venues would want to open, although there are currently none.

The move was requested by the Town Centre Partnership, whose chairman, Andrew Fletcher, said sex venues would put off visitors and investors.

He added: “There are two colleges in the town centre and two secondary schools on the periphery.

“The operation of a sexual entertainment venue would not be appropriate in an area where there is a high number of pupils under 18 years of age.”