Lawyers have warned council chiefs to brace themselves for costly High Court action if they attempt to shut down Leeds lap dancing clubs.
As reported in the YEP on Thursday a new draft policy proposes to limit the number of strip venues in the city to four – three fewer than are currently operating.
Leeds City Council’s licensing committee yesterday agreed to start a public consultation on the policy, with a view to implementing it later this year.
But committee members heard the authority could well face legal action if it forced any existing businesses to shut.
Council solicitor Richard Des Forges said: “We can’t get away from the fact that there’s an element of risk. We have taken advice from one of the leading barristers in the area and what the lap dancing clubs could do is take us to the High Court for a judicial review.
“What they can argue is fairly limited and, as long as we have dotted the ‘i’s and crossed the ‘t’s and we know where they will attack us, we should be okay. But there are no guarantees.
“The only way we could avoid any risk is just let them do what they wish.”
The draft policy was drawn up after a council working group looked into the issue of lap dancing – including night-time visits to clubs in the city – and carried out a survey of members of the Citizens Panel.
About 1,500 people took part in the poll – said to be the largest of its kind anywhere in the UK.
Coun Rebecca Charlwood, who was part of the working group, said 86 per cent of respondents supported a cap.
“We have to make a balanced judgement about how many there should be,” she said.
The consultation will run for six weeks. The new policy would be likely to be adopted in June.
