Lap-dancing club stays open despite protests (From Your Local Guardian)
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Twickenham's Piano Lounge lap-dancing club saved from closure after 'cocaine traces in toilets'
7:20am Saturday 22nd January 2011 in Richmond By Joanna Kilvington
Saved: The Piano Lounge will remain open
A lap-dancing club has been saved from closure despite police claiming traces of cocaine were found in the toilets.
Walter Angliss, owner of the Piano Lounge, in King Street Parade, Twickenham, was hauled in front of Richmond Council’s licensing sub-committee on Thursday after Richmond Police officers claimed they found traces of the class A drug.
Dancers at the club were also alleged to have been spotted having physical contact with punters when undercover detectives visited the club in September.
Despite strong objections from residents of Poulett Gardens and Cross Deep, who claimed the club was “not suited” to a residential area, councillors decided to allow Mr Angliss to continue running the business - but slapped him with a three-month suspension.
The club must also follow strict conditions, including Mr Angliss’ brother Max Angliss becoming joint licence holder, and staff at the lap-dancing club not parking in Poulett Gardens.
Mr Angliss, 55, said he would make sure a 1m distance between dancers and punters would be observed
What do you think of the decision? Email jkilvington@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 020 8744 4272.
Comments(7)
Eyeball
says...
12:53pm Sat 22 Jan 11
Also I do not think such an establishment should be sited in such a place. It belongs hidden in a city centre.
PhillipTaylor
says...
2:33pm Sat 22 Jan 11
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It is very difficult to make any form of objective analysis now concerning this licensing application because once the original licence was granted by the Liberals against the wishes of many residents, its future refusal would have to be on very strong grounds. Clearly the current grounds being cited are not strong enough!
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I thought the policy of the new Conservative administration at York house was to empower the residents when issues such as this facility are placed before future licensing sub-committees.
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I would remind readers that a survey was carried when the Conservatives were last in (2002-6) in every ward and the view was unanimous in rejecting this sort of facility for the borough. It would be nice to think that when future applications for renewal are made, both the new policy and the original views of the residents would be taken in proper account for a change.
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Otherwise, why don't we have a local referendum on it as such a measure was floated as an idea during the General Election to cover issues like this one?
Phillip Taylor
Concerned_Resident
says...
4:59pm Sat 22 Jan 11
As it's still there, that means the police and council workers will get free nights out to 'sit and watch' some more!
I don't disagree with this sort of place. It's a service in demand, albeit not by me or many others that I know, so why not provide it? There's clearly enough demand in the Twickenham area for such a venue, so rather than looking to the person making a living out of it, residents should perhaps look at one another to see which of them are keeping it open...
RiverLover
says...
2:47pm Thu 27 Jan 11
Twickenham Bob
says...
5:05pm Thu 27 Jan 11
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Such establishments are typically frequented by married men who like to window shop. Typically married and have kids.
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I know that will shock a lot of the moralising blue rinse brigade but the alternative would be for them to have affairs.
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And look around you, 80% of the trade in Twickenham is generated locally as the Twickenham doesn't have the pull of other local centers
Concerned_Resident
says...
9:46pm Sat 29 Jan 11
EdwinaWaugh says...
11:05am Sat 22 Jan 11