Sheffield Spearmint Rhino lap dancing licence granted
A lap dancing club has had its licence renewed for 12 months despite almost 100 objections.
Spearmint Rhino on Brown Street in Sheffield is the only lap dancing club in the city. Objectors had claimed the venue was "out of place" in the city centre and "objectified" women. The council's licensing committee renewed the licence on Tuesday subject to three conditions, including quarterly inspections. Read more about this and other stories from Sheffield and South Yorkshire It must not distribute leaflets advertising the venue and it must cover up the club's sign when it is closed. The 97 letters of objection also complained the venue was in the wrong place, situated in the city's cultural quarter and close to university buildings. The same argument was made in 2012 and failed then when the committee found there were "no grounds to refuse the application". Letters in support of the renewed licence included some from people who work at the club and said that in the 15 years it had been open, it had provided a "safe environment" for staff and had not had any incidents requiring a police presence. General manager Pete Mercer said in a letter of support, the fact the club was run to a "very high standard" showed how seriously he took his responsibilities as the "dancers, staff and customers welfare and safety" were his main concern. He said the club had also passed every inspection by council officials.