News / sexual entertainment venues
Consultation opens which could see strip clubs banned from Bristol
Just over a week since Bristol’s two strip clubs were granted licenses to remain open for another year, a consultation has been launched which could spell their end.
Bristol City Council is keen to stress that no decisions have been made about the policy it will ultimately adopt.
But banning sexual entertainment venues (SEVs) from the city is supported both by mayor Marvin Rees and by the council-funded Bristol Women’s Commission (BWV), who argue that strip clubs perpetuate a “dangerous power dynamic” and increase the risk of gender-based violence.
is needed now More than ever
Strippers who could lose their jobs or be forced to work in unlicensed premises if SEVs are closed have accused BWV of misogyny and only protecting women they deem morally acceptable.
The consultation is open until December 19, asking people’s views on a proposed council policy to not allow any SEVs within the city centre, Old Market, and an area comprising Bishopston, Montpelier, St Paul’s, Redland and Cotham.
The final responsibility for agreeing a new council policy and the numbers of SEVs in the city is likely to be taken by the council’s cross-party licensing committee early in 2022.
Chair of the licensing committee, Marley Bennett, the Labour councillor for Eastville, said: “We are reviewing our current policy and want to hear from members of the public about sexual entertainment venues and what they feel is appropriate for the city.
“At this stage no decisions have been made. The committee will use the information provided through this consultation to help inform a policy, so if you would like to make your views heard, then please do take part.”
To take part in the consultation, visit bristol.citizenspace.com/bristol-city-council/sex-establishments-policy-consultation-2021
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: Nighttime economy adviser says her opinion on strip clubs is ‘irrelevant’
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