Lap-dancing club likely to win backing

The doors closed on private-dance nights at The Lounge nightclub two months ago because the facilities for performers were not up to standard.

Darlington Borough Council officers found that women, provided by The Purple Door club, in Leeds, were being paid £10 by customers for a private dance behind a screen.

Central ward councillor Isobel Hartley said the working conditions for the women was was quite poor.

"They had to get changed in a room the size of a broom cupboard and they were just dancing behind a screen, which could be quite intrusive for other customers" she said.

"The way we looked at it is that this wasn't the right way to treat an employee, and we asked them to make some alterations."

The management of the club agreed to a scheme of refurbishment, including installing closed-circuit television in the dance area, and putting up curtains to separate dancers while the perform.

Certain rules will apply in the club between the girls and those paying for dances and there will be posters advertising private dance nights.

An application for a variation in the public entertainment licence is being put before Darlington's licensing committee next week to run the lap-dancing club, under the name Purple Door, one night a week.

Customers will pay for a woman to dance for the duration of one song. There will be no pole or table dancing.

Coun Hartley, who chairs the committee, said morals cannot prejudice the members' decision when they meet on Wednesday.

"Even if members disapprove of the type of club, they will have to put their feelings aside. If the application is turned down it will have to be for a reason within the licensing laws," she said.

No members of the public have objected to the club.

Tony Knox, of Absolute Leisure, which owns The Lounge, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

However, speaking to The Northern Echo earlier, he said business had been going very well before the lap-dancing was stopped.