Residents have say on lap club
Residents are being urged to have their say over controversial plans to open Shrewsbury's first exotic dancing club where half-naked and naked girls would perform for punters. Residents are being urged to have their say over controversial plans to open Shrewsbury's first exotic dancing club where half-naked and naked girls would perform for punters. The lap and pole dancing club, which would also offer private performances, is being described as a "gentleman's club" by applicants Gemini Games Ltd, who want to open the venue in Castle Gates. Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council leader Peter Nutting said: "As a council we will deal with all applications as they come in but we welcome comments from the general public on what they feel about it. I'm pretty relaxed about it - it will be up to the public." Picture: Elizabeth Berkley as a poledancer in the Hollywood film Showgirls. Read the full story in the Shropshire Star
As revealed by the Shropshire Star, the club would offer half-naked and nude dancing at the club, on the first and second floors of Central Hall.
The plans for the site, between The Vaults and The Lucroft Hotel, have been submitted to Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council.
Borough council leader Peter Nutting said: "As a council we will deal with all applications as they come in but we welcome comments from the general public on what they feel about it. I'm pretty relaxed about it - it will be up to the public."
Rosemary Thornes, chairman of the Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents' Association, said the planning committee had looked at the application and had decided to take it to a whole committee meeting tonight.
She said: "At the moment, we have some reservations but I cannot talk about them until we have discussed them with the committee.
"We need to think through whether it's something we will be making a comment to the council planning committee on or not."
He said: "We go through every planning application and decide what's important and I'm sure we will decide this is important."
But resident Richard Oldale, 25, who lives opposite where the club would be with his partner and two children, has issued a formal objection.
He said: "We already have the lively night life to contend with as it is, what with living near TheVaults pub, The Bulls Head, Al Piccolino pizza shop and Vincents Taxis.
"This club will only add to the disturbances we already have. The other concern would be with regards to parking.
"Yet another attraction would surely cause more of a problem on the already congested town centre roads."
However, Paul Bond, manager of pizza take-away Al Piccolino, just down the road from the proposed club site, said he supported the application.
He said: "We are hoping it will generate more trade so we have a positive attitude to it."
Pictures: (Top) Elizabeth Berkley as a poledancer in the Hollywood film Showgirls, (Below) The proposed lap dancing bar is above this shop in Castle Gates.
By Rebecca Lawrence
