A CONTROVERSIAL strip club has been given the thumbs up to open during Cheltenham Festival.
Under The Prom nightclub has been granted a sexual entertainment venue licence for five days.
AlamyA licence has been granted for a strip club to open during Cheltenham Festival week[/caption]
The erotic venue, Eroticats, will be in place temporarily during the biggest week in the National Hunt calendar.
It will be open from 6pm to 5am on the four nights of the Festival, which begins on Tuesday, March 14.
The application to grant the licence met eight objections but 59 representations in support.
Those against said it was a ‘shabby idea that degrades women’ while another claimed the lap-dancing club ‘degrades humanity’, said one report.
But sub-committee chair David Willingham said they could not object on moral grounds.
He explained: “We appreciate sexual entertainment venues (SEVs) are an issue some people feel strongly about and, as can be seen from the public representations, some people have a strong objection to this activity while others strongly support it.
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“The committee’s job is to apply the legal tests and consider the suitability of the location, the safety of the performers, the customers and the public, as well as any impact on properties in the area.
“The venue successfully operates as a late-night premises and has for many years hosted a popup SEV under the exemption.
“The applicant also presented comprehensive safeguarding processes including ID, CCTV and other employee and venue checks.
“The council’s duty to ensure equality was taken into account as part of the committee’s decision making.
“Based on the statutory guidance and evidence before the committee, there were no lawful reasons to refuse this licence.”
Local police also raised no objection to the application.
Eroticats has been held at other venues in Cheltenham during previous Festivals.
Meanwhile, a special paint will see wee splash back on unruly racegoers as part of a plan to crackdown on bad behaviour.
Councillor Max Wilkinson wants the paint put on walls leading to the Gloucester racecourse.
He said peeing in public ‘blights our town’ during Festival week.
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