29 June 2020
Licence Changes for Sexual Entertainment Venues
At its first online council meeting, Norwich City Council has agreed a revised policy on licensing sexual entertainment venues in the city. The revised policy allows for unannounced inspections of sexual entertainment venues and limits the number of such venues in the city to four, as well as taking away the possibility for clubs to apply for a waiver to avoid applying for a licence. All venues offering sexual entertainment, which generally consists of activities such as pole dancing or lap dancing, must be licensed.
Green councillor, Lesley Grahame, was first contacted by residents who live near the site of clubs which offer sexual entertainment on Prince of Wales Road several years ago. Since then, she has campaigned to make the area safer for local residents and the clubs better regulated, particularly for the benefit of people who work in them.
Councillor Lesley Grahame said:
“I’m very pleased that clubs in Norwich will now be better regulated. The city needs to protect their employees and customers, allowing them to operate safely without disturbing local residents.
“Performers working at SEVs pay for their pitches but earn only a proportion of the cost of the dances they sell. Better regulation should lessen the risk of exploitation of workers under pressure who were working in a gig economy long before the term was invented. I hope this new policy will also offer some reassurance to local residents.”
Licences for sexual entertainment venues must be renewed on a yearly basis and renewal applications will be decided by councillors. The council’s licensing committee has voted to close the loophole that allowed individuals to operate in Norwich after being found unfit to hold a SEV licence elsewhere after Green councillors flagged up the problem.
Further information:
Councillor Lesley Grahame 07711 298214 l.grahame@cllr.norwich.gov.uk
Note:
The Green Party Group on Norwich City Council forms the council’s main opposition and consists of eight councillors.
