19 December 2023 , 17:06
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A strip club has been granted permission to open after every race meeting at Cheltenham next year.
Local councillors granted a licence to Red Apple Associates to run the Eroticats sexual entertainment venue for 17 nights in 2024 from a building opposite a church. The venue owner hosted a strip club at a different location in Cheltenham during this year's Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk was one of more than 35 people to table objections to the application, which received 50 letters of support, according to Gloucestershire Live.
Alwyn Barry, senior pastor of Cambray Baptist Church, told a Cheltenham Borough Council committee meeting it was "deeply hurtful" to allow a strip club so near to a place of worship.
"Where marriage is upheld, immediately opposite us licentiousness is being promoted," he said. "Where family life is honoured, immediately opposite us, infidelity is offered. Where women's value is held in the highest regard, immediately opposite us, the objectification of women is normalised.
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"Where new life is offered, immediately opposite us, broken lives are served. It's discriminatory for Christians for such a venue to be placed in this location."
Gilli Appleby, chief executive of Gloucestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, said women did not feel safe at night in the town, particularly during race week. But an unnamed performer, who worked for Eroticats, said it was "the most organised, safe and well-run operation I've ever encountered."
Committee chair David Willingham said his panel was satisfied with the premises, there were no objections from the police and no evidence of problems as the application was unanimously approved.
"The activity is lawful and licensing exists to make it safer," he said. "The council cannot take a moral stance on the activity." The venue will be allowed to open from 6pm to 5am on the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Cheltenham Festival week.