Thursday, September 01, 2011

Say 'NO' to Lapdancing and sex entertainment venues in Tower Hamlets


Emdad Rahman

Tower Hamlets Councillor Rania Khan and C.A.P.E Tower Hamlets are asking for support in stopping lap dancing and strip clubs operating locally.

The Council is currently consulting on a new policy which would allow it to revoke the licences of all Sex Encounter Establishments, including Strip Clubs and lap dancing Clubs.

The recent Policing and Crime Act allows concerned parties to speak out on the issue. Lap-dancing clubs are now licensed as Sexual Entertainment Venues (SEVs), which means that local residents and workers have a greater say, and Tower Hamlets can apply greater restrictions and controls to these clubs, and even apply zero tolerance.

If this policy were to be enacted it would be the first borough in London to have a nil policy towards sexual entertainment, where even existing establishments would lose their licences. 

Residents and people who work in Tower Hamlets have found it difficult to object to the nuisance of lap-dancing venues in the community.

Councillor Khan said: “I have been involved in the feminist movement and campaigned on this issue for a long time. In 2007, following residents concerns, we led a campaign with Object which led to the national government change on the legislation. We are now in a position to make use of this new legislation.

“It is crucial to state that we can only implement this policy if we get a favourable response from respondents to the consultation. We are obviously up against unscrupulous large businesses who will try to ensure the maximum amount of pro-sex encounter establishments answer the consultation. We have to make sure we also mobilise people who feel strongly about this issue.”  

There are 11 Lap-Dancing clubs in Tower Hamlets that are accused of fostering a sexist culture in which it is deemed acceptable to treat women as sex objects, not people, and areas surrounding these venues can become 'no-go' areas for women, children and students. Lap-dancing clubs may also
fuel anti-social behaviour and unacceptable levels of noise.

Many operate during the daytime, and into the night, near to homes and residences, nurseries, schools, universities, playgrounds, parks, art galleries and places of worship. Most are therefore located in totally inappropriate areas.

A public meeting is taking place on September 8th, 6pm at the London Muslim Centre, 46-92 Whitechapel Road London E1 1JX.

Invited speakers will include Lutfur Rahman, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs from the London Assembly, Shaikh Abdul Qayyum from the East London Mosque, the Reverend Alan Green, Councillor Rania Khan, LibDem Councillor Stephanie Eaton, The OBJECT group and The East London Communities Association (TELCO).

Councillor Khan and the organisers are extremely keen to publicise the event and encourage community involvement.

The consultation is only open for six weeks and residents and employees of the borough are being encouraged to participate and contribute by visiting http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=14754

5 comments:

The Great Smell Of Brute said...

The organisers of the Say ‘NO’ campaign have organised a second meeting, scheduled for Tuesday the 11th of October, entitled ‘LAP DANCING – A CHOICE OR EXPLOITATION’.

However, the course of a few days, they have changed the format from a public debate, to an invitation-only (female-priority, or possibly women-only) private rally in favour of the proposed ‘nil’ policy. The venue was initally to have been the Bancroft Library in Mile End, but has now been changed, and the new location of the meeting is yet to be announced.

Say ‘NO’ to lap-dancing in Tower Hamlets have also come in for considerable criticism on their Facebook page, and that of the event, with particular regard to the accuracy of their information, the balance of the panel of invited guests, and the manner in which they have organised this second meeting. Their most recent response to their critics has been to hide/delete comments on both pages.

The said...

With regard to the statement that there are eleven striptease venues in the borough, I am only aware of the following seven which are currently operational:

Images, 483 Hackney Road E2 9ED

Majingo’s, 187 Marsh Wall, South Quay E14 9SH

Metropolis, 234 Cambridge Heath Road E2 2NN

Nag’s Head, 17 Whitechapel Road E1 1DU

Club Oops!, 30 Alie Street E1 8DA

Secrets East Smithfield 43-45 East Smithfield E1W 1AP

White’s Gentlemen’s Club 32-38, Leman Street E1 8EW

Are there more, or are the other four simply figments of their imagination?

The Great Smell Of Brute said...

Facebook links for:-

Say ‘NO’ to lap-dancing in Tower Hamlets: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Say-NO-to-lap-dancing-in-Tower-Hamlets/195992953799007

‘LAP DANCING – A CHOICE OR EXPLOITATION’: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159898667431930

Tony N said...

Let me start with the comment "There are 11 Lap-Dancing clubs in Tower Hamlets that are accused of fostering a sexist culture in which it is deemed acceptable to treat women as sex objects, not people, and areas surrounding these venues can become 'no-go' areas for women, children and students. Lap-dancing clubs may also
fuel anti-social behaviour and unacceptable levels of noise". The key words are "can become" and "may also". In otherwords this is not what it is currently like but to scare people I will imply because I can't prove.

Secondly "It is crucial to state that we can only implement this policy if we get a favourable response from respondents to the consultation. We are obviously up against unscrupulous large businesses who will try to ensure the maximum amount of pro-sex encounter establishments answer the consultation. We have to make sure we also mobilise people who feel strongly about this issue.”
Interesting the unscrupulous OBJECT have on their website a link to the survey where they encourage people to vote. The term pot and kettle springs to mind.

So we come to the locations, in any London borough a venue will be near areas of concern. So the word is that even if the nil policy is voted against the councillors will use the acceptance of the considerations to go well we haven't got the mandate but we do have an excuse. That comes from someone in Local Government, I cant say whom as they would probably lose their jobs.

Seawitch Artist said...

Actually, there wasn't much residential concern, just some from Islamist hot heads and compulsive complainers. Rania Khan and her entourage have discovered THEY are the minority, alas, one that doesn't give up because they are people who expect all their demands to be bowed too. If a muslim or anyone else does not like what they find in Britain or it's permissive culture then they should buzz off to somewhere like Mecca.