Sex Entertainment Venues (SEV) Consultation - Waltham Forest

The Borough Council is currently running a consultation on the regulation of sexual entertainment venues such as lap dancing clubs. Responses need to be submitted by 1st March and can be made:

on paper to:

• The Licensing Service, Sycamore House, Town Hall, Forest Road, London E17 4SU, 

or by email to:

• licensing@walthamforest.gov.uk

The consultation documents are here (word) and here (pdf)

Detailed background is available on the Licences - sex establishments page of the LBWF website.

In brief the Policing and Crime Act 2009 introduced new powers for local authorities to regulate sexual entertainment venues (ie where live entertainment or displays of nudity take place; typically lap dancing venues). There are no lap dancing clubs currently in Waltham Forest but the increase nationally in recent years has caused concern among many local authorities. Currently these clubs are licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 which allows objections only on these four criteria:

• The prevention of crime and disorder;
• Public safety;
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm.

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on whether the Council should adopt the new powers and if yes, what the policy in Waltham Forest should be.