Cheltenham Borough Council is being asked to block an application for a lap dancing club to open in Cheltenham.
The Fantasy club on Bath Road hosted lap dancing events for previous race weeks, but various groups are contesting the application from Massimo Salatino this year.
CheltFems say that, “Lap dancing is discriminatory. As long as men can buy women’s bodies for sexual entertainment, we will not be free of attitudes which make men objectify and feel entitled to women’s bodies.”
At a council meeting on Monday, the council denied that the decision would not be based on the economic impacts of the licence, but the objections raised by residents would be considered.
Terry Howard, Operations Director for the Cheltenham Guardians, spoke to Park Life this week to explain his objections: “We believe that a sexual entertainment venue in a highly charged and spirited atmosphere such as race week is not conducive to a safe night out.”
He went on to say that, “By granting a SEV licence Cheltenham Borough Council may be contributing by proxy to a culture that is derogatory, dangerous and detrimental to our mission.”
The Cheltenham Guardians help people in need at night in the town centre, and the group is among a number to file a complaint with the council.
“A primary function of Cheltenham Guardians CERT is the safeguarding of lone females in Cheltenham’s night time economy. Sadly the sexual objectification and harassment of women exists in Cheltenham as it does in similar environments. Our team deals with these issues regularly.”
