Blackpool sex club hauled before council after complaints

A Blackpool lap-dancing club is facing stricter controls around how it takes payments from its customers after complaints were made to the police and council.

Management at Eden One on Queen Street is being told to tighten up its procedures around electronic card payments, especially any payment over £100.

Dancers could also be banned from having mobile phones in any performance area.

The club has already upgraded its CCTV system in response to requests from the police, with 20 cameras in place including in booths where dances take place and card transactions are carried out.

But police, backed by council licensing chiefs, are demanding a raft of further measures including that bar staff and dancers should be given training in "appropriate sales techniques" which must take into account "drunkenness/capacity of customers".

John Sayers has applied to renew the sexual entertainment venue licence at the premises, which has operated since October 2013.

Blackpool Council's public protection sub-committee will consider the application, along with the proposed additional conditions on the licence, when it meets on Tuesday December 4.

A number of documents submitted to meeting are confidential and have not been made public as they contain information from complainants.

But a council report outlining background information says: "The sub-committee will be concerned about the nature of the complaints that have been received both by the police and the licensing service/trading standards."

Among the conditions being recommended are that detailed records are taken of all card payments, that customers are offered chance to sign their payment record and dancers will be stopped from using their own payment methods.

Dancers will also not be allowed mobiles phones in any performance area.

Card terminals must be at a fixed point, covered by CCTV, and management must oversee transactions over £100.

Dancers price lists must be prominently displayed "so customers know how much services cost without ambiguity", while there should be random checks "to ensure customers are not served when drunk".

The club, which must renew its licence annually, can continue to trade while the application is being considered and will have the right to appeal any decision which is made.