Lap dancing nights given go-ahead at bar

The owners of an over-21s nightclub in Inverness have been given the go-ahead to start lap dancing nights.

Hush nightclub was given approval for a licence for alcohol to be served on the premises during adult entertainment.

The controversial move was given the green light by members of the Highland Licensing Board earlier today during a sitting at Highland Council’s headquarters.

The proposal had been opposed by the Highland Violence Against Women Strategy Group who felt that such entertainment alongside drink was a recipe which would add to a rise in violence against women.

They claimed this would be the case especially off the premises, where it could not be controlled.

The application also sought to open throughout the week and to apply seasonal variation to the opening hours.

The board said they could find no objective reason in law to refuse.

Board convener Maxine Smith said afterwards: "Today was a disappointing day for me as I had no but to apply the rules and regulations and grant permission for the major variation to the Hush Night Club’s licence in Inverness.

"This was not an application for adult entertainment but an application to serve alcohol while providing lap dancing. Unfortunately, the board have not insufficient reasons to refuse this application which would stand up in law.

"The only way to refuse it would have been if the bar in question was not properly run, but in fact it is a well-run establishment with no complaints.

"Also the crew who were wanting to partner Hush on this, have, for 15 years run two lap dancing bars in Aberdeen, and one in Dundee.

"With all of this as evidence and no contrary evidence against this application we had to approve.

"I listened carefully to the arguments from Gillian Gunn and personally, I strongly agree with much of what she said, but unfortunately their comments and ‘evidence’ were all anecdotal.

"Without concrete evidence to say that lap dancing and alcohol are a recipe for disaster and mean more violence toward women as well as abuse, then the board could not use this in its deliberations."

Labour Highlands MSP Rhoda Grant said she was disappointed by the board’s decision.

She said: "This is something Inverness and the Highlands did not want or need and I think it is a real setback. Introducing a lap dancing venue to the city is a step in the wrong direction and a blow to equality and woman’s rights.

"The commodification of woman in society is damaging and I would have hoped the objections raised by the Highland Violence Against Women Strategy Group would have been listened to.

"Unfortunately this was not the case."

The frequency of lap dancing nights will be determined by the operators. The lap dancing nights will run from 10pm to 2.45am and be separate from the club nights at the venue on Academy Street.

Councillor Smith stressed at the start of the meeting that it was important that board members understood that in considering the premises licence variation application they were not being asked to "licence" adult entertainment.

They were being asked to licence the sale of alcohol at the premises during adult entertainment.

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