Public views sought on licensing of sexual entertainment venues

Councillors have been told to put in place legislation for sex venues, even though there are none within their area.

Angus Council will begin a public consultation on the licensing of sexual entertainment venues in the county “to inform future decision making”.

The public view is being sought after the Scottish Government introduced legislation which will give local authorities a discretionary power to require such venues to be licenced.

Sexual entertainment is defined in legislation as “any live performance” or “any live display of nudity” for the purpose of sexually stimulating any member of the audience.

There are no known venues of this type within Angus but Arbroath West and Letham SNP councillor Alex King said that should not stop a policy being put in place as he highlighted past problems.

“I was on Angus District licensing board the last time these problems arose,” he said.

“The board took provisions with regards the dress that had to be worn by participants. The buttocks and the breasts had to be covered. It was bra and pants for women and pants for men.

“If anyone wants to open a sexual entertainment venue then we would already have developed a policy which we could apply.”

Mr King said “participation of the audience” was also a problem he previously encountered.

Arbroath West and Letham Liberal Democrat said a problem he previously encountered was participants dressed as schoolgirls and any sexual entertainment venue “should not portray any underage person”.