‘Residents vindicated when his Dublin venue closed’
PETER Stringfellow offered to give protesters a tour of the Stringfellows club on Dublin’s Parnell Street in 2006.
The lap dancing club only operated for five months before it was shut down following frequent protests by local residents and councillors.
Labour’s Emer Costello was among those who protested and last night said: “I think at the time, the residents were completely vindicated.
“There was no place for a club like that in the inner city in a residential district.”
But she recalled how Stringfellow rang her and offered to take her on a tour.
“We didn’t take him up on his offer. “He was very charming and very nice when he phoned me but we were not interested. I think it was a good outcome,” said Ms Costello.
Ms Costello, who was a councillor for Dublin’s North Inner City at the time, said the location of the club was inappropriate.
“At the time, the flats in Lower Dominick Street were still there and there was a lot of construction going on. It was a residential area and people felt it was completely inappropriate,” she said.
Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin was also involved in the campaign to see the club closed and said he stands by his position back in 2006.
“I just don’t have a high regard for that type of business. That’s just my gut instinct on it. I think it’s exploitative and undermines gender equality,” he told the Irish Independent.
“At the time, we didn’t like the location and we didn’t like what they were doing.
“But look, the man has died and in that respect, it’s important we allow his family to grieve in the proper fashion,” Mr Ó Ríordáin added.
Business owner Valerie Roe worked in consultancy and public relations for the Dublin Stringfellows for the brief period it was open, and has fond memories of her time there.
“It was a great atmosphere and a really interesting place to work. It was very glamorous, very red. Chandeliers, red carpet. The food was excellent and the service was excellent. They had tons of staff to run an operation like that,” she said.
Ms Roe said she found Mr Stringfellow a pleasure to work with. “I met him a good few times. He was very professional and he knew his craft well.”