Plans for lap-dancing club in former Farmhouse building in Canterbury
The former Farmhouse
building at the bottom of Dover Street in Canterbury
by Alex Claridge
A lap-dancing club could soon be opening in Canterbury.
Called The Bing and in the former Farmhouse building at the
bottom of Dover Street, the operators promise an "upmarket venue"
open until 3am at weekends.
They have submitted an application for a sex entertainment venue
to Canterbury City Council.
Businessman Trevor Tophill, 59, of Old Dover Road, is not
convinced by the plan.
"If it’s upmarket and doesn’t attract an undesirable element, then I can’t see what the problem is..." - resident Steve Parmenter
He said: "I suppose it's better for the building to be used than
not used.
"They tried this sort of thing before in Canterbury and it
didn't work. The city is just not seedy enough.
"But really they should knock the old pub down and replace it
with flats, which we need."
The Farmhouse, which had been run by the organisers of the
annual Lounge on the Farm festival, closed in September after a
dispute over rents and has sat empty and boarded-up since.
Operators of The Bing want it to open from 8pm to 1am Sundays to
Thursdays and from 8pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
IT manager Steve Parmenter, also from Old Dover Road, is not
opposed to lap-dancing club near his home.
The 34-year-old said: "If it's upmarket and doesn't attract an
undesirable element, then I can't see what the problem
is.
"As long as it's all legal and above board, then it's not going
to be any worse than a bunch of students making a noise in the road
or pub with loud live music.
"I'm not a prude and the fact that women are taking their
clothes off makes no difference to me. I'm sure the activities
there will be policed properly."
The building – which over the years has been called Gators, Fat
Piggies, Buddy Allen's and Bar Extreme – is owned by Enterprise
Inns.
The application is due to be heard by the council's
licensing committee in May.
Larissa Reed, the council's head of neighbourhood services,
said: "The council will consider the proposal under its approved
sex encounter venue and sex establishment policy."
12/03/13
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