A report recommending that sexual entertainment venues should be licensed will be brought to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Regulatory Committee next week.
The recommendations follow a public consultation on whether a licensing scheme should be adopted for venues such as lap dancing and strip clubs. More than 800 responses were received, of which 65% supported the introduction of a licensing scheme.
Earlier this year the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 added new sections to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 enabling local authorities to introduce a discretionary licensing system for sexual entertainment venues.
If the recommendations are agreed in principle a policy and conditions of licence would subsequently be developed concerning aspects such as numbers, locations or appropriate areas of the city in relation to venues, taking into account feedback received as part of the initial consultation.
Regulatory Committee Convener Councillor Catherine Fullerton said: “Our initial consultation on whether the Council should adopt new powers to licence sexual entertainment venues attracted over 800 individual responses with more than 65% of those agreeing that we should adopt the powers.
“Regulatory Committee will consider a report on the outcome of that consultation which recommends that sexual entertainment venues should be therefore licensed. If approved, work will be done to develop the necessary policy and conditions of licences for public consultation prior to final approval by committee. Feedback and comments to the initial consultation will be an important part of this development work.”
Read the full report, Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 – Sexual Entertainment Venues – Update After Initial Consultation, on the Council website. This will be discussed at Regulatory Committee on Monday, 21 October.