A Soho sleaze den? No, it’s a care home in genteel Dorset
And who came up with idea? The residents!
GYRATING in hot pants and leotards, six pole dancers take it in turns to perform in front of their rapt audience.
But this is not a seedy lap dancing club – it is the dining room of a luxury care home.
The risqué show was put on after residents demanded something a little more exciting than their usual activities of gardening and arts and crafts.
The 30 elderly men and women clapped enthusiastically as the young women performed in their scanty outfits at Fairmile Grange home in Christchurch, Dorset. But, while the residents greatly enjoyed the show, others were not so happy about it.
Local councillor Denise Jones said: ‘I’m a bit staggered. While I’m always delighted to see the horizons of older people widened, I’m not sure that includes pole dancing.’
Peter Hall, a councillor who represents the ward where the home is based, added: ‘It is inappropriate for a care home. It’s not really the sort of entertainment I would have thought that the residents wanted or would have encouraged.’
In fact, the home’s owners said residents had specifically requested a pole dancing show, after saying they ‘wanted something a bit different’.
Fairmile Grange has 80 bedrooms and offers 24-hour nursing and dementia care to its residents. Its glossy brochure boasts of plush, spacious bedrooms, landscaped gardens and a pampering room with a luxury salon.
Izzy Nicholls, of Encore Care Homes, which runs Fairmile Grange, said: ‘Relatives and residents had requested more modern-style activities.
‘Residents were given several choices of activity and specifically chose for a local pole dancing company to perform.
‘Pole dancing is a provisionally recognised sport by the Global Association of International Sports Federation and is working towards becoming an Olympic sport. It combines dance and acrobatics, requiring great physical strength and endurance.
‘We are proud to challenge stereotypes and will continually offer our residents the choice to experience appropriate, new and progressive activities.’ The dancers, aged between 20 to 40, also defended the show and revealed they had been invited to return.
Personal trainer Katie Henry, 35, who runs the Poole- based Pole Dance Factory, said: ‘It must have been the first time our dancers had performed to people of that age who weren’t their grandon parents. We performed to old classics like Abba and Singing in the Rain and the residents seemed to enjoy themselves.
‘We have been invited back to perform again. You get criticism, but pole dancing has been certified as a sport, and we specifically put
a sporty, gymnastic performance which we thought was appropriate for a care home.’ Dancer Mea Goodall added: ‘The residents really enjoyed it. Some people will like pole dancing, some people will not. ‘I am passionate about promoting it as a sport and a dance form but when you try to change perceptions you come up against narrow minded dinosaurs.’
The dancers were supported by many social media users who insisted the residents should be able to enjoy themselves. Dorset County Council said it had not received any complaints about the event.
The Care Quality Commission, which regulates care homes, said the performers were appropriately dressed and residents could choose whether to attend the dance.
‘Narrow-minded dinosaurs’