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Rev Paul Weary, TV star Kate Buffery, Labour councillors Mouna Hamitouche, Wally and Janet Burgess, and Lib Dem Ursula Wooley, as well as residents, turned up to protest against table-dancing plans for the Archway Tavern |
PUB ‘SLEAZE’ POLE-AXED
Joy as plans for residential table dancing club are thrown out
PLANS for pole dancing at the Archway Tavern were unceremoniously thrown out by an Islington licensing committee on Wednesday.
There were moments of high drama and laughter among dozens of protesters who had turned up for a hearing that lasted almost four hours at Islington Town Hall.
The applicant, Hornsey GP Dr I Sardar, wanted to establish an upstairs members only pole and table-dancing club, beginning at 10pm, at the pub on the Archway Close traffic island.
But he admitted that he personally had never visited such an establishment. He added, however, it would be extremely orderly and within the law and definitely not one of the “touchy feely” establishments.
His company Timzia Ltd had a top management team in place, he said, and pole- dancing venues these days were perfectly acceptable. “Even the Prime Minister of Australia had visited one,” he said.
A TV actress, a vicar, a local solicitor and four councillors – two from the ruling Lib Dems and two opposition Labour – all spoke out against pole dancing.
They argued that it was out of keeping with the predominantly residential area and would ruin plans for regeneration.
Actress Kate Buffery said her 16-year-old son plays in a pop band at the pub.
“Pole dancing is virtually selling sex,” she said. “Do we want that at our local pub? I think it diminishes the community and is sleazy.”
Methodist Minister Rev Paul Weary, chairman of the Fellowship of Upper Holloway churches, said his church is literary a few yards from the Tavern.
Objectors claimed that pole dancing would attract prostitution and men looking for sex into the area.
Rev Weary said that church and pub had co-existed for 130 years until now.
He added: “We have Brownies, Guides and the Boys’ Brigade, and on occasion they leave our church after 10pm. The Brownies sometimes have sleep-overs at the church and our own meetings can also run into the late hours.”
But “even without the morality of naked women prancing about” he was also concerned about the negative effect of pole dancing on local property prices.
He said: “We depend on the property we own to finance the church. The next door disused Central Hall is being looked at as a possible arts centre. All that could be lost with pole dancing.”
Solicitor Richard Barca, who has property nearby, represented himself and three other residents who were worried about the potential for harassment of women on the street and disturbances.
“We will have a situation where drunken men will be exposed to sexual titillation with no means of gratifying their desires,” he said. Then, referring to a quote from the 1960 Lady Chatterley’s Lover book trial, he asked the committee: “Is it a venue that you would even wish your wife or your daughter to visit?”
Committee chairman Lib Dem Cllr George Allen interrupted saying that the precise quote, made by the prosecutor during the trial, was: “Is it a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?”
Kate McKenzie, a public relations officer who lives nearby, said she would be scared to come home alone.
She added: “All the research that I have read – and there is a lot – indicates increased problems for communities and women in particular with table or pole-dancing clubs.”
The legal definition of a sex establishment, the committee heard, was a venue for “persons who are without clothes, to expose their breasts or genital, urinary or excretory organs for entertainment.”
Under a code of conduct there must be no physical contact between dancers and punters.
Dr Sardar, who is a majority shareholder at the pub, was represented by publican agent David Pennell.
Mr Pennell said that the club would abide by all the relevant rules and neither the police nor council planning officers had opposed its establishment. “There’s been a lot of inflammatory talk and misunderstanding about our proposal,” he said.
“However, I can understand concerns and will be happy to put people’s minds at rest.
“The Archway Tavern is on a traffic island and only those who live immediately opposite ever need to pass by.
“There are many places in London, indeed throughout the country, with pole-dancing venues that experience absolutely no trouble at all. We will have security guards and a management team in place with experience to ensure that our club is run perfectly smoothly.”
He added that objectors should remember that under the new 2003 Licensing Act they have the powers to seek a review of any licence which poses problems for their community.
But the committee said they would reject the plan on the grounds that insufficient information had been provided about the management team and their plans.
Dr Sardar refused to comment after the hearing and there was no indication whether or not he would appeal.
Chairwoman of the Better Archway Forum Kate Calvert was delighted with the result. She said: “This is good news for all the many residents who objected.” |
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