Stage 3 a welcome release as brothels bed down new protocols

BROTHEL operators say they are braced for “pent-up demand” after getting the green light to open at noon on Friday as part of the Stage 3 pandemic restrictions.

And they were right to be prepared. One reported that when noon came, the clients began “flooding in’’.

And Silks On Upton owner Katherine Hammond reported that during the lockdown, demand had been so great not a day had passed without staff having to “tell someone in the car park that we’re not open”.

“There was plenty of pentup-demand out there. People have been holed up for three months,’’ Ms Hammond said.

Brothels had been closed since March.

“We took advantage of being closed to complete an overhaul of our premises, in excess of $100,000, including new themed rooms,” Ms Hammond

said. She said clients were being told kissing was not safe, but it “comes down to what the girls are willing to provide service wise”.

Names were being taken in a discreet way and hand sanitiser use enforced.

Ms Hammond said during the shutdown the business had kept in touch with “a lovely older gentleman”.

“He comes in weekly, knows which girls are on and he bakes for them and brings coffee in a hot flask,” she said. “Not all clients are about sexual activity; it’s about company.’’

Pentagon Grand manager Suzanne Pfeifer said her

Molendinar operation had submitted its COVID plans to the Prostitution Licensing Authority.

“Half of our clients have physical or intellectual disabilities and for them it was an essential service. Some wouldn’t have known why they couldn’t come to us,” she said.