Talk of a strip club in Devonport has been a hot topic in recent weeks, with debate raging over whether it was a suitable business for the city centre, especially if it opened so near to a church and primary school.
In this recent article from The Advocate, Bid for permit to allow strip club at venue (Saturday May 1, 2010) the Devonport Mayor seems to be in favour of the club:
Devonport Mayor Lynn Laycock confirmed a company called Images International Pty Ltd…..had applied for a permit. The Mayor said the council was not even required to discuss the matter, as it was already an allowable use.
“They’ve applied and (a strip club) is a permitted use. It won’t even go to the council to decide and there will be no period of public consultation.”
Ald Laycock said she “certainly won’t be one of those people visiting a strip club venue.”…”But I don’t think we can be immune to these trends if it’s legal and being managed well its future will depend on market trends.”
Good news is that we have at least one Alderman opposing the opening:
Ald Grant Goodwin said he would not support a strip club opening in Devonport. He said it wasn’t just a council planning matter, there were moral issues.”
I was interviewed recently by The Advocate for my comments on the possibility of a strip club opening opposite St John’s Church in Devonport. Elise Connelley writes Church appalled by talk of strip club neighbour (Tuesday, May 4 2010):
The Anglican Church is appalled by even the slightest possibility that a strip club could open opposite the St John’s Church in central Devonport.
An application was made to the Devonport City Council last week for a permit that would allow a strip club to open in Fenton St.
The application to the Devonport City Council for a permit that includes clubrooms, a bar and an entertainment hall at 10 Fenton St, will be decided on this month.
A spokesperson for the Tasmanian Licensing Commission said a liquor licence application has not yet been received.
As reported in The Advocate, I said that:
- the opening of a strip club in this location would have a detrimental effect on children,
- this type of endeavour right in the community centre, near shops and schools, debases our humanity, and
- It is important to build and maintain a healthy community for young children to live in; this sort of thing does not do that.
A strip club reduces relationships to the temporary and the sensual.
See also ‘No’ to strip club and stripping our humanity
