Campaigners who launched a failed bid to curb lap dancing in Leeds are refusing to take defeat lying down.
MPs, councillors and religious leaders had joined forces to call on Leeds City Council to to limit the number of venues in the city – or to ban them outright.
Their plea came as every existing strip club had to reapply for their licences after being legally reclassified as sexual entertainment venues.
Instead the authority granted all seven clubs new licences last month.
But the campaigners have redoubled their efforts by launching an online petition calling on the council to reconsider.
Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves, said: “I don’t believe that these sexual entertainment venues should be located on our busiest city centre streets, especially adjacent to civic and religious buildings.
“Residents, visitors and children should be able to journey through the city centre without encountering the sex industry and at the moment that is just not possible.
“I want Leeds to be seen as a welcoming, family friendly city and I do not feel that the proliferation of these clubs in such prominent locations sends out a positive image of our city to visitors.”
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Moortown councillor Rebecca Charlwood, who spearheaded the initial campaign, added: “It’s particularly disappointing that Leeds City Council did not take action to reduce the number of these clubs as many other cities across the country have done.
“We have the power to say where they should be and how many of these clubs is appropriate, if you take pride in your city it’s a common sense policy.”
But Paul Gourlay, who runs Deep Blue andPurple Door in Leeds, employing dozens of people, said he did not know why the issue was being pursued.
“It’s done and dusted,” he said.
“I don’t see why they feel the need to carry on with this when it was dealt with by the committee. Why can’t they just let us get on with doing our job?”
The petition can be found by visiting: www.gopetition.com and searching for ‘limits on Leeds lap dancing venues’.
