The future of Bristol’s sex establishments has gone out to public consultation, three months later than initially expected.
Councillors voted in favour of seeking residents’ views on a new draft policy governing the city’s lap-dancing clubs and X-rated shops back in May.
But delays sorting the necessary paperwork and the launch of other urgent consultations by the city council over the summer, including controversial plans for a clean air zone, meant the three-month exercise only got under way on Friday (August 16).
Licensing committee members had agreed by a margin of five votes to four to send out the revised policy, which is largely unchanged apart from the inclusion of sex cinemas, of which Bristol has none, for the public to have their say.
The decision at their meeting in May came amid a row over whether banning sexual establishments would drive the industry underground.
Councillors said they were “ashamed” that the document had been only tweaked from the existing policy and failed to address women’s rights campaigners’ concerns of a possible link between strip clubs and violence against females.
They were also annoyed that it contained no evidence to back up officers’ assertion that prohibiting the venues in Bristol would create an unregulated black market, an omission members insisted must be included or debunked in the final version.
The new policy, which is set to replace the one in operation for the last seven years, maintains the existing maximum cap of two sex shops and one lap-dancing club in Old Market/West Street, two sex shops and two sexual entertainment venues in the city centre and neither establishment in Bishopston, Redland, Cotham and Ashley.
Other areas would be included in the policy if there was an application for one.
Bristol currently has two strip clubs, both in the city centre — Urban Tiger and Central Chambers.
When their licences were renewed earlier this year, lap-dancers told councillors they were feminists who had a right to work there.
The latest delay is not the policy’s first setback.
In February, members sent officers back to the drawing board for failing to include feedback from a whole host of organisations, including Police & Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens who favours a city-wide ban.
Cllr Mike Langley, chairman of the committee, which will make the final decision, said: “This new draft policy is not a final decision.
“It’s very much a draft based on wide-ranging feedback received earlier this year from our review questionnaire and further engagement work, where we asked people what they thought was appropriate for the city.
“The draft policy covers sex shops, sexual entertainment venues and sex cinemas and we’ve taken into account a broad range of views from different stakeholders including equalities groups, citizen groups, women’s groups, management and employees of the establishments and local residents.”
The consultation closes on Sunday, November 10.
Results of the feedback are not expected until February.
To read the draft policy, with a summary of proposed changes, and to take part, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/sexestablishment
Paper copies are available from the licensing team by emailing sexestablishmentpolicy@bristol.gov.uk or phoning on 0117 357 4900.
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