Lap-dancing clubs and strip clubs could disappear from Preston as council seeks White Ribbon status

Preston Town Hall in Lancaster Road Pic: Blog Preston

Licensed sex entertainment venues like lap dancing clubs and strip joints could disappear from Preston after the city council applied to be officially recognised as part of the campaign to end male violence against women and girls.

The authority has launched a bid to be accredited by the ‘White Ribbon’ charity – a move that means it will have to develop an action plan setting out how it intends to meet the aims of the initiative.

A template plan for councils seeking White Ribbon status suggests they commit to carrying out “a review” of their sexual entertainment licensing policy – and “work towards a presumption against” allowing establishments of that nature.

Preston City Council leader Matthew Brown welcomed that prospect, telling a recent meeting of the authority that there was “a question mark in this day and age” about their presence.

The Labour leader added: “There is an evidence base that having sex venues does lead to sexual assaults on our streets, especially when young men have been tanked up and had quite a few beers.”

A licence is required to open a sex entertainment attraction – and the permission has to be renewed periodically. The Local Democracy Reporting Service has requested details of how many businesses in that category are in operation in Preston.

A report presented to councillors – who unanimously backed the White Ribbon accreditation application – stated that the recognition would demonstrate the city authority’s “commitment to preventing harassment, abuse and violence against women and girls [by] promoting gender equality, raising awareness and ensuring that men, as well as women, are part of the solution”.

Cabinet member for community wealth building Valerie Wise said she had spent 40 years campaigning on the issue, but feared society was heading in the wrong direction.

“It is important that men can give a lead to other young men. We need to be countering the Andrew Tates of this world who are…teaching our young men a lot of things that are absolutely horrendous,” Cllr Wise said. Tate is a self-styled misogynist and online influencer.

Liberal Democrat councillor Julie Van Mierlo said the statistics on the subject of violence and and harassment of women and girls were “awful” – with research showing nine in 10 girls have experienced “sexist name-calling” by the time they turn 16.

She also asked how many of the authority’s elected members had undertaken the training associated with White Ribbon status. While the figures were not available at the meeting, Cllr Wise said she would be contacting any colleagues who had not yet done so.

She also said she would like to see the action plan broadened to become one supported by organisations throughout the city – not just the council – in order to make it more “effective”. The document has to be developed over a period of six months as part of the accreditation process and then delivered within three years.

White Ribbon UK stresses that its template plan for councils is meant as “a guide” – and encourages authorities seeking accreditation to apply their own “creativity…and experience” to drawing up a tailored version.

Suggested measures include guaranteeing support and housing services for women and children experiencing or fleeing domestic abuse – and ensuring that staff at all entertainment venues are “adequately trained to recognise, handle and report incidences of abuse”.

There should also be a zero-tolerance approach to sexist, harassing and abusive behaviours.

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