Whiskey Down Leeds: Crown Street lap dancing club has licence renewed with no objections

Whiskey Down, on Crown Street, near the Corn Exchange, successfully applied to renew its sex establishment licence.

Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee granted permission after the venue, in the former Town House building, agreed to updated licence conditions.

The venue operator, Tokyo Industries (Ultimate) Ltd, applied to retain the existing opening hours of 10pm-4am, Sunday to Thursday, and 10pm-5am Friday and Saturday.

The company has held a licence to operate a sexual entertainment venue at the premises since 2017.

Such venues are required to renew their licences annually.

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Tokyo Industries managing director Aaron Mellor told a licensing hearing: “This is our seventh renewal. There are no objections and there were no objections to our previous six renewals.”

The hearing on Tuesday was told visits were planned to the city’s lap dancing clubs as part of work to ensure the welfare of performers.

Mr Mellor said: “I absolutely welcome that.”

Leeds currently has three sexual entertainment venues, a category of sex establishment introduced by the government in 2010 as part of changes to the way they are regulated.

Leeds City Council also drew up its own licensing policy, which includes a list of locations not suitable for such venues.

In 2012 Leeds had seven lap dancing clubs but a maximum of four was set as part of the council policy.

Coun Lisa Martin, Labour member for Roundhay, told the hearing: “I really welcome the work that our officers have done throughout the city over the last ten years or so to reduce the number of sex establishments.

“It just didn’t feel appropriate. It feels more appropriate now.”

Standard licence conditions include safety measures to protect the welfare of performers, CCTV, age verification and no offensive advertising materials.