I see from the local newspapers that an application to open a "upmarket gentlemans/exotic dancing club" in Castle Gates which was rejected by the Council has been allowed by a planning inspector on appeal.

This will have a licensed bar and feature lap and pole dancing etc. There may be some private performances as well as ladies nights with male dancers I read.

According to the newspapers, our MP intends to appeal to the Council and has already written to the Police asking for their support in objecting to the proposal. Planning is Proud Salopian's forte I think but I believe our MP is somewhat late in his objections.

He is quoted as saying "I think it's totally out of keeping with the type of community we're trying to build in Shrewsbury". I thought that there was already a well-balanced community here so what type of new community are "we" trying to build? Politicians!

Yes there is nothing that can be done now to stop this (other than a judicial review - but the planning inspectorate as far as I know acted quite correctly).

Can I just point out that the reason why planning officers in the first place and now the planning inspectorate approved this scheme is that there is nothing to object to on planning grounds. It does not go against planning policy. Therefore the officers and the inspectorate could only approve it.

(Just shows you that the development control or planning committees of councils do not have the final say... if something is acceptable under planning policy then it will usually be approved, if delayed a bit...)

Thanks for that authoritative post PS - far too many ignorant people (although not on this site) are quick to criticise when they have very little idea of the limitations placed on public bodies.

Those girls will have very public bodies alright.

Personally, I don't mind about having this lap dancing club in Shrewsbury. Doubt I'll ever go but I'm sure there are many who will. It will add to the town's nightlife in an already existing nightlife part of the town. Obviously I would understand objections to a lap dancing club in a residential area, or a quieter part of the town centre, but not on Castle Gates. The objections to this are mainly on moral grounds, etc, but when it comes to planning permission I'm afraid these grounds don't really count! The so-called reasons for refusing the planning application were scraping the barrel. Not surprised (and neither were the officers of the Council) that the inspector approved it.

Give it a few years and you won't really notice or think of it.

The words usually and delayed a bit give a certain amount of leeway in that comment PS!

I noticed in the Chronicle that the business in the Mardol with the bingo and gaming machines has apparently suffered badly from the smoking ban and are now applying for the addition of two 'adult' gaming machines.
I personally haven't a clue what 'adult' gaming machines are or do but assume it is some form of titillation of the saucy variety.

I hope the presumably young 'ladies' working for the club on Castle Gates are heavy coffee drinkers and shoppers as they have to compensate for the loss of a huge number of other young ladies of the town shipped off to London Road! <_<

Well, Mardol and Roushill are historically Shrewsbury's "red light" district... what is now Phoenix Place was a dodgy alley of brothels only 100 years ago!

As for the erm dancing girls... it's employment! :rolleyes:

Sounds like an updated version of a 'What the Butler Saw' machine. Can't see this really succeeding in 2008. Have these people not got the internet?

Of course, it could be Lapp Dancing, which is an entirely different form of entertainment.

You 'aving a laugh! :D

Has he lost his way from centre parks in Sherwood forest?



Actually I quite fancy a Lapp on my lap, might be a good way to iron out the cellulite. ;)

I hope our local MP realizes that the sort of pole dancing in question has nothing to do with his own cultural heritage. :)

Don't count on it. I'm sure a future edition of 'In Touch', the execrable glossy pamphlet from the local Conservatives that came through my door today, could well contain a photo of DK MP grinning while standing next to some pole-dancers, along with photos of DK MP grinning while visiting Meals on Wheels, DK MP grinning while visiting a primary school, DK MP grinning while pulling pints in a pub somewhere, and DK MP not grinning but looking frowny and serious on the backbenches of the House of Commons.

We got one today, seemed to omit the several times this year he made a complete prat of himself!
eg Daniel opposes the Unitary option (bet he has changed sides on that one now!)

I've never really got my head around the fact that Conservative controlled Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and Shrewsbury's Conservative MP opposed the Conservative controlled Shropshire County Council's plans for unitary. What makes things worse is that many Conservative borough councillors are also county councillors! Makes little (common) sense.

Hmm, I suppose that some of the ruling conservative councillors felt that they had power and local standing which they thought that they would lose under an unitary authority. As the saga unfolded it emerged that a town council could be set up which could more or less continue as before as regards the town area was concerned, receiving the same income from parking, and retaining control of the the Music Hall, the new theatre etc, etc. I think that this may have resulted in their opposition to the unitary idea waning.

It will be very interesting to see what the Town Council owns/controls. As a parish council technically, there are stringent limits on what it can and cannot do by law. We'll see if they are allowed (either by the new unitary authority or by law) to own/operate the Music Hall/Theatre/Swimming Baths etc.

I don't think the opposition exactly waned, toc, but it became clear after the Judicial Review had failed that SABC would be liable for approx £200,000 costs. The Chief Executive was craftily removed from the scene with a spurious redundancy package instead of waiting for the further appeal he helped set up to be determined on the 28/01/08. :angry: