Lapdancing events given go-ahead at Bognor club

Councillors have granted a premises licence for Club Shine above the High Street.

The decision by Arun District Council's licensing sub-committee was subject to a strict range of conditions agreed between club owner Tony Race, Sussex Police and the council's licensing officers.

These include a limit of up to 25 adult dancing nights with topless dancers a year, a ban on pole dancing, rules about the dancers' dress and a ban on deliberate contact between them and club members.

Entry to the club will only be available to members aged over 21.

Applicants will have to apply 24 hours before they join to ensure no one can just walk in off the street. An initial limit of up to 1,000 members has been set by Mr Race.

A series of further measures to ensure safety inside and outside the 236-capacity club includes CCTV cameras at the front entrance in the High Street and the Belmont Street back entrance. Door staff will also be on duty. An extra member of door staff will be present when lapdancing takes place.

The club's basic opening hours are 9am to 1am on Sundays to Wednesdays and from 9am until 3am on Thursdays to Saturdays. Some extensions are allowed under the licence.

The licence took effect from the sub-committee's decision today (April 25).

The three councillors took ten minutes to make their decision after a short hearing about Mr Race's licence application.

He told the sub-committee: "The idea of Club Shine is to provide a grown up environment and a safe environment for people to go out and have a good time.

"It's not a night club in the usual sense of the word. It's more a social club for all ages over 21.

"We do not want to be perceived as an adult entertainment destination.

"We want to be perceived as a night club that is able to offer that facility should the need arise. It's the exception rather than the norm.

"We believe we are going to be offering a viable alternative to the existing clubs in Bognor. We feel we fill a niche."

He said typical mid-week entertainment would be karaoke and open mike sessions. Weekends would see more traditional nightclub-style discos.

The sub-committee meeting took place with only one person - district and town councillor Jim Brooks (Bognor Marine) - in the public gallery.

He said the concerns raised by residents in Belmont Street had to be covered by the licence.

"If the licence is granted, I want to be sure that these conditions will be strictly adhered to so there will be no additional noise or inconvenience to the residents," he stated.

Mountbatten Court resident Raymond Lester, who had sent a 29-name petition to Arun opposing the club on fears of increased anti-social behaviour, withdrew the objections before the meeting.

The licence also covers the Belmont restaurant which Mr Race is developing in another part of the premises. This will have a capacity of 50 diners and serve British and Continental cuisine.