A BOURNEMOUTH lap-dancing club could lose its licence amid allegations performers have been getting too close to customers.

Wiggle, in Old Christchurch Road, is facing claims its staff have breached strict rules on the sexual entertainment it can offer.

Its sexual entertainment licence is currently up for renewal and both Dorset Police and Bournemouth council’s licensing department have raised objections.

They claim the applicants, Portsmouth-based Wellhot Ltd, are unsuitable to continue to hold such a licence. The matter will be discussed at Bournemouth’s licensing board meeting on Thursday, when councillors will decide what action to take.

In her report to councillors, senior licensing officer Sarah Rogers said she visited the club in August and saw several conditions being breached.

These include dancers straddling customers, simulating sexual acts and inappropriately touching themselves, customers and other performers.

Her report also states that drug tests carried out in the performers’ changing room, toilet and public toilet revealed ‘unacceptably high’ levels of drug use.

And the club is also alleged to have been unable to provide CCTV footage when asked.

PC Darren Harris, who also visited the venue, said in his report: “Dorset Police are of the opinion the management and owners of Wiggle have failed in their legal obligations in ensuring the venue is run in accordance with the conditions of the Sexual Entertainment Venue Licence and have demonstrated themselves to be unsuitable to operate such a venue.”

 

  • WIGGLE is housed in the former register office in Christchurch Road and was first opened by controversial entrepreneur Richard Carr.

In April 2006 he denied it would be a lap-dancing club and said it would be a restaurant and entertainment venue with ‘no public dancing whatsoever’.

A planning application for a restaurant, with what he described as ‘all sorts of acts such as comedians and illusionists’ was granted but within months the venue was operating as a pole-dancing club.

When threatened with council enforcement action, Mr Carr applied for a retrospective change of use.