Cleric’s fears over Burlesque at venue
THE owners of a new late night venue have insisted it will NOT be a strip club.
Rossendale council is considering a licensing application from The Whip and Kitten Ltd, on Burnley Road, Rawtenstall.
The name of the venue at a former dance studio has raised concerns, along with proposals for entertainment until 2am at weekends, including burlesque.
The application states: “We would like to provide entertainment in the forms of comedy, cabaret, burlesque and drag performers and flow performers.”
It adds that burlesque shows ‘may display seminudity as part of the performance’.
Canon Anthony McBride, of the nearby St James the Less RC Church, fears a venue showing burlesque could attract the ‘wrong’ kind of people. He said: “The fact that it’s there and it will have signs up is not healthy for our children or anybody else for that matter.
“An awful lot of new families are coming to the area and they won’t want something like that on the doorstep. It makes the place sleazy.”
However, the applicants say burlesque is only intended to form a small part of the bar’s entertainments, which would also include bands, open mic, comedy, and film nights and afternoons.
Bryony Payne told the Free Press: “It’s not a strip club, it’s just a local bar run by local people.”
Bryony says they will operate a Challenge 25 door policy at all times, with over-18s only allowed after 7pm, and said they want to make the venue, which has three floors and a capacity of 150-250 people available for community groups during the day.
Rossendale council leader Alyson Barnes said a number of councillors are ‘a bit concerned’ about the proposal.
She added: “I think the name of the place is a little bit raunchy.
“I’m not 100 per cent clear on what they are doing there. I’m told it’s burlesque dancing.
“We do want to encourage the night time economy in Rawtenstall but because of the size of the town and nature of the area we don’t want to be comparing with Manchester.”
The application can be viewed at www.rossendale.gov.uk and representations can be made in writing to the Licensing Unit, Rossendale council, The Business Centre, Futures Park, Newchurch Road, Bacup, by Thursday, October 25.