Days of having drink in a rural pub are over
- Today's letter
Dancing exotic but rules reign
Monday 20th August 2007, 7:00PM BST.
An “angel”, whose saucy underwear appears to have shrunk in the wash, takes a flushed-faced young man by the hand and leads him up the stairway to personal heaven, a booth far away from prying eyes where he will enjoy his own private “dance”.
The scene is a declaration that Shropshire’s first ever lap dancing club, Midnights in The Parade, Wellington, is well and truly open for business and his initiation is the cutting of the ribbon, so to speak.
The guy is about to make history as the first person to have a legal lap dance on county soil.
He may be the first, but he certainly won’t be the last. And as he leaves the private upstairs area of the club five minutes later, he is passed in the opposite direction by more lapdancing “angels”, as they are called, leading other blokes up the same stairs.
A lot of people have clearly been waiting a long time for this kind of club to open.
Following a £100,000 refurbishment, Midnights is a chic and shiny “exotic danc” night spot aimed at upmarket clientele.
It is divided into a number of different areas, all of which feature wall-mounted plasma TV screens flickering with saucy dancing.
The hub of the action is the main club room downstairs where angels sporting the skimpiest underwear mingle and chat with smart-casual clubbers in what appears to be some kind of dream come true.
Amid the action, topless angels turn heads with their slick pole dancing routines.
To Nellie’s dancefloor filler It’s Getting Hot In Here (and it is, too), one angel performs a pole routine that would leave lesser people in the PRH.
It has to be said, these ladies are quite brilliant with a pole; one doubts whether county firemen are this spectacular when they swing into action.
The angels – all wearing matching red lingerie – are watched by men appreciative of their acrobatics.
It’s fun guessing what kind of people the clubbers are – what they do, why they come here, and whether their partners (if they have any) know whether they are here.
But it has to be said, most appear to be respectable types; you would guess they’re everything from businessmen to lads on a night out, a stag night maybe.
There are even groups of women in attendance.
And in terms of age, although most are under 40, the average is pushed up by a man and a woman (are they a couple?) sitting contentedly on the balcony. They look only several birthdays shy of a bus pass.
Indeed, if the public perception of a lapdancing club is a seedy dive, then Midnights would fail to live up to their expectations: there’s not a single rain mac in sight.
It’s not everyone’s scene, of course, and personally this is my first time at such a club. Being alone, I feel a trifle awkward but I am approached by a number of very attractive angels who chat easily.
I particularly enjoyed my brief discussion with the Oriental-looking girl from Huddersfield.
“Are you alright, love,” she asks. “Where are all your friends?”
I tell her the truth – I haven’t got any.
She tells me she is surprised that this is the first lapdancing club in Shropshire; in Leeds where she also works there are 12.
Another angel whose scant attire leaves little to the imagination sidles up and informs me that someone has paid for me to have a private dance with her. Like Hugh Grant without the charm or the looks, I make a hash of my next few sentences and leave her in no doubt that I am an inept nerd who is the blood brother of Frank Spencer.
I retire to a corner to observe the scene, having realised an important lap dancing lesson – if you don’t sit down, you don’t have a lap.
On the whole, though, Midnights is a tasteful affair, if exotic dancing is your thing. The guests certainly cannot get enough.
The club is not too pricey either. Everything is upfront with a drinks menu and entertainments guide set out on every table.
It’s £10 to get in, which includes pole and stage shows throughout the night in the main club area.
A group table dance costs £20, a topless one-to-one is £10 and a private one-to-one lap dance is £20.
The rules of the latter are clearly laid out too, to avoid any confusion.
The ‘menu’ clearly states: “No lout behaviour will be tolerated, our venue is covered by CCTV.
“During dances please keep your hands beside you.”
There’s more exotic dancing, the types of things that most of us have only seen on Channel Five when we’ve fallen asleep on the sofa and accidentally woken up with a start.
As opening evening pushes towards midnight, the point when angels descend on to the main stage for an exotica showpiece, I make my excuses (to my lone self) and leave.
Midnights is only just getting into its stride but, like Cinderella, I fear that at 12pm I might turn into a pumpkin and leave half my footwear behind.
Away from the exotic world of Wellington’s lap dancing club, one thought is left with me as I make my way through the drizzly night outside: the guy who made history by becoming the county’s first ever person to enjoy his very own pole dance, that could have been me . . . the girl leading him by the hand up to the private lapdancing area asked me first.
By Ben Bentley
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I’m reminded of Job, Book 4, Verse 2 – “And lo, jezebels shall enter the city against the Lord’s will and tempt those who so shall weaken to the flesh.” Of course, God did take action against such loose-morals: “And after two day, the lord didst smite the harlots and turn them into dough and they were baked and eaten as Sabbath treats.”
I have a good mind to chain myself to the railings of this establishment until the authorities see sense and accept that their tolerance of this smut has dire consquences. I, for one, have no desire to see these husseys bringing a rain of frogs or a river of blood upon the streets of Wellington.
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It’s about time we moved out of the 19th century and into 2007 in this county.
I’ve been waiting for something like this to happen since I worked in Hull for two years – for a small town lad, that was something of an eye-opener, I can tell you.
I plan to give these lovely ladies a fulsome and hearty “Hello” and welcome then into my bososm – I am sure that they will reciprocate.
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I wonder what Germaine Greer will think of it all when she comes to the Wellington Literary Festival?
I can’t wait to ask her!
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So Edith, let me get this right.
In this book (I’m not sure of the name), this God fellow turned strippers into dough and baked them in the sun for Sunday afternoon treats?
That sounds like an exiciting book I might head down to the Library if I can navigate my way through the rain of frogs and rivers of blood – it’ll be the fiction section naturally?
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Neil, does anyone really care what Germaine Greer thinks these days?
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With all due respect Edith quoting the bible will not help to modify the thoughts of those (myself included) that do not believe. So rather than preach, maybe you should approach the subject on a matter or morals?
I like frogs and as for the river of blood?….. have you been to wellington and seen the fighting at night recently (its already happening!)
Looking at it objectively. Is there any harm here? All involved are consensual adults! I myself have been to such clubs on special events such as Stag parties and birthdays etc. I am an honest, hard working professional yet it appears is being judged by the reader of a good book (sorry i don’t believe, and i mean no contempt)
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Edith I’m with you all the way, however I shall be chaining myself to the bar inside this lovely establishment whilst talking to a lovely young lady, sipping an ice cold beer. Result.
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so edith all ginger bread men are really pole dancers,thats a lot of dancers out there,if you don’t want to go to the club thats your right but don’t tell everyone else they can’t go thats dictatorship,it’s still a free country for now so bring on the dancing girls .
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I hear they are doing a ladies night too Edith. Maybe that would be better for you?
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Edith will definitely be at the ladies night…..chained to the railings outside.
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People there seem to be enjoying themselves. Sure that is the back of the head of a well known local (bald) hero
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I don’t see the problem with it myself – as long as it is well regulated.
I will be paying a visit shortly.
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I dont really know what to make of it all to be honest.
Its not a venue that I would find myself visiting but I would say that as long as the rules are strict, the women and punters are safe and everyone is having a good time, where is the harm (and Im female!)
Im sure there is far seedier activities going on behind closed doors! I just wouldnt like Wellington to get a bad reputation because of it, its going downhill at the moment, and thats just with the levels of violence that are being used on the streets.
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Macca, that isn’t actually the local chap your thinking of.
Thanks for the positive comments people.
Most other towns have this sort of establishment, why not Telford !? –
It’s no seedy joint.
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The type of dancing going on probably won’t be that different to what was there before if my memory serves me right. In terms of impact on the town, a club like this has far lesser negative effect than other places in the town. Im sure there will be less drunks, fights and violence now it has changed from a night club. Not that theres anything wrong with them its just i think people will obviously moan whatevers there unless its a church or bus stop. Edith, Wellington has far greater problems with drugs fighting and general crime to worry about rather than this story.
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Hey Macca – I think the “local (bald) hero” was djing elsewhere in Wellington that night.
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fantastic all round venue. im a member of bar staff at midnights and with a sober face on me all night i can tell you that there were smiles all round with the opening night. very impressive, well done midnights!
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I like biscuits, Edith can i take you out for a cup of tea and a biscuit so metime, you seem like my kinda woman.
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Its a disgrace, i cant believe this is allowed in wellington. I’ve lived here for nearly 3 weeks in my witness relocation program and by golly the town certainly isnt what it used to be when i was a lad.
This kind of filth is poisoning the minds of the dancers and the attendees. My daughter (Mercedes-Chanel, 19yr old mother of 7) has said that her and the girls that dance there are treated like pieces of meat… sometimes beaten with a tenderiser
Edith i am with you 100% of the way, i know she will join us in our fight for freedom against the tyranny and evil in our home town.
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The disgrace is that you have to keep your hands by your sides – unless that is only the “official” line
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To Mike H… hahahaha
I know you’re slinging mud for comedy value but:
“I’ve lived here for nearly 3 weeks in my witness relocation program”
Damn, that’s blown your cover now.
“My daughter (Mercedes-Chanel, 19yr old mother of 7)”
What a good role model you are as a parent!
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Mike you can hardly call this filth, it is purely entertainment for people to go and have a drink and enjoy yourselves. If your daughter Mercedes-Chanel is beaten with a tenderiser why doesn’t she speak out about it? Take action, if she doesn’t people will continue to do this! Lets not forget these ladies have a choice to work there, they are not forced to. If you saw the £££ they were making there not including the tips just to dance around in a sexy way your eyes would light up.
If people there however are treating them with dis-respect in any way though then they will be kicked out. It’s called admiring beauty…think of it as a live art class. I do not wish to cause any offence to you or other people opposing this but you are making this sound like Satan has moved in next door!
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It’s all very well for you to mock, but did not the Lord send down avenging angels when Abraham and his sons looked into the pit of sins on the Sabbath?
I warn you now, these are the signs of the end days as foretold in the Book Of Darren (chapter3, verse 2 – ” And lo, the smiting was a-mighty and the people didst bash each other with wet hering and children produced crippled nightingales from their brothers’ cassocks”) and Ephistopheles (Chapter 1, verse 1 – “And Miriam spake with the voice of Satan and spake of the undoing of the land of the Lord with dancers and maybe a KFC. The Lord didst send the Holy Acrobat to tumble and fall, so as to warn Joshua and his people to scrubbeth their undercarriage not on the sabbath Day”).
Repent now, Wellington.
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i think i love you Edith
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are you having a laugh edith?? biblical quotes on a newspaper website? did you not realise that book had been disproved a few years back? stop pushing your nonsense in a public place, keep it inside those fairytale walls!
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Amen Edith Amen
Mocketh the man who mocketh the polishing of the rocket.
I have also read the book of Darren, and doth he prophet ‘How bist jockey, yam heading down da tittay baaaarrr’
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Avenging angels….maybe that could be a Midnights theme night.
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It would take something to better the ‘dirty policewoman’ at the one in Wolvo though…
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(peter, chapter 7 verse 2)…
where will you be at midnight?
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“And Miriam spake with the voice of Satan and spake of the undoing of the land of the Lord with dancers and maybe a KFC.”
So what? Some bird spoke about the world coming to an end with a deep voice? at KFC was it? You frequently see them round there as it is! Max I think your on to something there with the Avenging Angels theme night.
By the way Mike and Edith seeing as your religous, does the bible not state “Judge thee less thee be judged”? (Got that from the Simpsons) :-/
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There is no god, its all a media hype. Fishpaste and bananas are the only true god.
All hail the fishpaste!!
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This is a club for unattractive older men who have no chance of ever having a relationship with a very attractive woman. Men go into these clubs and for the price of a dance they think this woman will be theirs at the end of the evening. Ha ha, in your dreams guys.
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Ha ha. You ever been there Jane? Maybe your luck will be in then! HA HA HA ;-)
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Jane, Edith, Mike…. I’d like to invite you down to check the place out for yourself….. just call me anytime..
Dale
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Are you the Manager Dale?
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I went in there on the opening night, as I work ove at the sister Pussycats and as I Women i found it fine! very classy and well done out and the girls were very nice and polite!! No worries!! I would definetly encourages others to go!!
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Morgan, Yes, are you one of the dancers?
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How can you foget after last night baby!
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Are there any jobs going?
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lol @ Morgan?!
Oh dear!
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lol, Sorry Dale mate, got wrapped up in the moment.
Say BustyBigBoobs; what experience do you have? I’m sure an advantage to the job would be immunity to bible quotes.
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I think BustyBigBoobs and morgan could be from wales (shrewsbury)
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Incorrect my Annonomous friend, I recently moved from Wellington to a place near Shrewsbury, not Quite Shrewsbury and not quite Wales…
Believe me you never see any BustyBigBoobs round here!
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Society is gradually being drawn down the dark alleyway of permissiveness, licentiousness and immorality at the expense of upholding the right to dignity, respect and decent behaviour. If such clubs already determine that they are offering a desirable and worthy service, why do they need to further intrude on the ‘entertainment’ scene with increased prominence? Are we prudes? No, we are simply defending decent people from the shallowness and obsessive voyeurism that these clubs generate and the sultry undertones that will increasingly permeate through society. The choice is there for those who want to frequent such clubs, why allow them to further scar the social landscape and demean an already brutalised female population?
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Nice bit of writing by Ben Bentley…
Ohhh and the lap dancing club…will it be another dive like every other Telford club in the next 6 months. We’ll see!
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so when do we see a venue open for us ladies to view men gettin naked n dancing round poles? if you can cater for desperate men what about desperate women!!!
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I don’t see whats wrong with having Midnights in Wellington, let alone Telford.
At the end of the day, Fusion was there which actually had probably more problems than Midnights ever will.
Midnights sounds like a much calmer place than fusion, with fusion being a club.
Wellington seems the best place for this thing in Telford…
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Ha ha Pav well said.
Very desperate these men need to go and get a life.
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Reading all these comments has been the best read of the morning!! Good Luck to Midnights, hope the club is a great success. Where I used to work in Shrewsbury was to be turned into an exotic dance club, but I understand this went to appeal and nothing heard of since. Nothing wrong with these places, and I for one would go for a night out there, nothing better than the female form exocically dancing (and I am a female!)
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