Licence for lap dancing club in Oxford refused

March 3, 2011 - PRLog -- Church-goers were celebrating in Oxford yesterday evening as the local authority rejected a licence application for a ‘sexual entertainment venue’ to operate yards from a church.

Members of St Ebbes Church in Oxford, who have been campaigning against the lap dancing club, were overjoyed. Last year the church was unsuccessful in its bid to close down a similar club which has been operating from the same premises.

Oxford and Bournemouth-based law firm Horsey Lightly Fynn were instructed to represent the church at last night’s hearing.  Jon Payne from the firm, who specialises in licensing law and put the case for the church said “St Ebbes submission was that the proposed location was completely inappropriate for such a venue, given the proximity of the church, other historic buildings, residential properties and the shopping centre.”

In April 2010 the law in relation to the licensing of sex venues changed, giving more powers to local authorities to monitor whether and where the venues could be established. Yesterday’s hearing was understood to be only the second in the country and the first to result in a refusal to grant a licence since the law changed.

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UK law firm specialising in licensing law, including alcohol sales, plays, films, music, dancing, reviews, hearings, appeals, judicial review