Pole dancing school evicted after villagers complain

The former warehouse was on a single track road and residents complained that students blocked it with their cars

A pole dancing school has been evicted after complaints from villagers of seeing women in "thongs and bras" and parking issues.

High Voltage Pole had been offering classes to students from a converted warehouse in Elm, on the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, since 2020.

Danica Painter, who owns the school, appealed against the enforcement action brought by the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk.

The Planning Inspectorate upheld the decision on the grounds of "harm to highway and pedestrian safety", but found the school had not had a "harmful effect on living conditions" for residents.

'Thongs and bras'

High Voltage Pole moved into the warehouse without permission, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

After Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk became aware of the business, it issued an enforcement notice shutting it down.

Residents complained about students blocking the single track road with their cars, and said parking had become “horrific”.

One resident said her four-year-old child could see “girls in thongs and bras” pole dancing from their bedroom window, which she described as “inappropriate”, adding it was “not the place” for the studio.

Ms Painter wrote to the Planning Inspectorate defending her business, arguing that none of the objectors had ever complained to her directly and she had taken measures to prevent disturbing neighbours.

“In a world where it is easier to cancel and say no to things, I implore you to look within your heart and see that I am doing all I can to be compliant and appease concerns raised,” she said.

She also denied her classes were noisy.

The inspector said: “Whilst I have found that the development will not have a harmful effect on the living conditions of neighbouring residents, I have found it will result in harm to highway and pedestrian safety.”

Ms Painter plans to move her business to a new studio in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.