New council ruling may spell the end for Swansea's sex venues
| Posted: July 25, 2013
SEX entertainment venues in Swansea city centre could be a thing of the past if a new council policy is introduced.
The local authority will consider introducing a new amendment to its licensing policy next week.
If approved it would mean licences for sex entertainment venues would no longer be granted in the city centre.
Council leader David Phillips said there was support for the idea, following a public consultation which was carried out earlier this year.
"The council cannot prevent organisations from making applications to establish these kinds of venues, but we can look to introduce changes in the licensing policies which state clearly that the appropriate number of these venues in certain areas is nil," he said.
"From the feedback we have had there is strong support, particularly in the city centre, for the concept that the appropriate number of sex entertainment venues in the city centre is nil.
"The city centre aims to be a place which is welcoming to families at all times of the day and evening.
"There is also a growing residential presence in the city centre and strong faith communities are established there."
The report going in front of council says local authorities are entitled to state how many sex establishments may be permitted within its area and can take into account factors such as the proximity of schools, retailers, faith establishments, residential areas and youth clubs.
But local authorities are not allowed to make their decisions on any moral basis and the council's licensing committee would have to consider each application on its merits.
7 comments
Young women need proper employment in Swansea, paying a decent wage. They don't need "opportunities" to work as sexual entertainment for the gratification of perverts and wealthy businessmen. Ban them!
I agree with Spideyjones. It is extremely naive to image that banning sex venues will result in their demise. It will merely drive them underground where they cannot be regulated and where the employers are placed at risk.
They used to say that entering Swansea, you'd be stepping 10 years into the past. Now it'll be closer to 200 years. Swansea, the last Puritan town in the UK - where hardly anyone goes to church.
Swansea has no lap dancing bars (which would do really well) and now they want to ban all sex establishments isn't it better to keep them where they are fully regulated and legal rather than drive them under ground and have dangerous red light zones like they do in other places in the uk.
To say there is no support for it is ludicrous. They probably only asked local churches and businesses their opinions !!
What are you suggesting, I am sure you will find that Travellers have a zero tolerance attitude towards such venues.
Unless you run the business from a caravan parked in a public area, then you are untouchable.