Bristol strip clubs to stay open despite proposed ban

The barrister for Central Chambers said "feminism fails when it tells a woman what she can and cannot do with her body"

Permission has been granted to allow two strip clubs in the city to remain open for another year.

Central Chambers and Urban Tiger in Bristol secured Sexual Entertainment Licences by Bristol City Council at two meetings on Thursday and Friday.

Although the council plans to hold a public consultation banning strip clubs councillors said there was insufficient reason to withhold the licences.

Opponents have said strip clubs dehumanise and objectify women.

'Independent women'

Sexual Entertainment Venues (SEV) are legal in the UK but it is up to individual councils to grant licences, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Central Chambers' application on Thursday received 67 objections.

Bristol Women's Commission (BWC) has been fighting both proposals.

On Thursday BWC chairwoman Penny Gane said many women avoided the vicinity of the strip clubs as they felt unsafe. She asked the committee to "end the support of these practices".

Central Chambers' barrister Philip Kolvin QC told councillors the dancers regarded themselves as feminists and were "strong, independent women who are capable of making their own choices and are both protected and in control".

"Feminism fails when it tells a woman what she can and cannot do with her body," he added.

The barrister also said the venue had not breached any of its licence conditions.

Sub-committee chairwoman Fi Hance said: "We are assessing the application against current policy as it stands. There was insufficient reason not to grant".

On Friday Urban Tiger was granted its licence renewal.

Speaking on Friday Ms Gane added: "The council had a real chance to take a stand against gender inequality this week, to tackle the harmful gender norms which lead to violence against women and girls and it chose to instead bow to pressure from an industry that promotes and profits from this."

The group also handed in a report to show evidence for its concerns.

In June, lap dancers accused Bristol City Council of sexism for allowing male strippers to perform while seeking to ban female stripping.