Westminster Council's Licensing Sub-Committee is reviewing the licence renewal for Platinum Lace Gentleman's Club, located at Unit 33, Trocadero, 13 Coventry Street, amid objections from interested parties who believe the operation of Platinum Lace negatively impacts the local community. One objector states that pimps congregate outside these clubs, making the world-renowned Leciester Square dangerous for women & children .

The report pack notes that the venue has operated as a sex establishment since 2012. The premises was originally licensed held by Platinum Lace Trading Ltd. Following the grant of the sex establishment licence in 2012, annual renewal applications on behalf of Platinum Lace Trading Ltd were submitted and granted under delegated authority up until 2015. In 2015, an application was submitted to transfer the SEV premises licence from Platinum Lace Trading Ltd to Platinum Lace (Management) Limited. This transfer application, along with the SEV premises licence renewal submitted on 16 September 2015, were both granted under delegated authority. The subsequent annual renewal applications were granted under delegated authority except for the 2018 renewal application submitted on 30 August 2018 which was determined by Licensing Sub-Committee.

Platinum Lace (Management) Limited has applied to renew its sexual entertainment venue premises licence, seeking permission to provide relevant entertainment from 15:00 to 06:00, Monday to Saturday, and from 15:00 to 03:00 on Sundays.

The Licensing Service has received objections from two interested parties.

One objector raised concerns about pimps congregating outside such clubs, arguing that it makes Leicester Square dangerous for women and children. The objector stated that pimps congregate outside these clubs, making the world-renowned Leciester Square dangerous for women & children , and that 'gentleman's clubs' perpetuate the damaging myth of women's unconditional sexual availability and foster male privilege and dominance . They also stated that 'gentleman's clubs' perpetuate the damaging myth of women's unconditional sexual availability and foster male privilege and dominance . The objector believes that renewing the licence would send the message that it is acceptable for men to sexualise and coerce women.

The second objector argued that if a woman requires financial incentive to provide sexual entertainment, it implies a lack of genuine consent. They further stated that if a woman needs to be financially coerced/paid/bribed into providing a man with 'sexual entertainment,' then the reason for the payment is de facto that she would not consent without it, and that the psychology of such a man, who wishes to use a woman as a tool for receiving sexual satisfaction without caring about her wellbeing at all, is the psychology of a man who may escalate to rape.

The Licensing Sub Committee is scheduled to determine whether the layout, character and condition of premises are appropriate for the grant of a SEV licence in accordance with Policy LO3. Policy LO3 of Westminster Council's Statement of Licensing Policy relates to the layout, character or condition of the venue and states that the Licensing Sub Committee will need to determine whether the layout, character and condition of premises are appropriate for the grant of a SEV licence. In this regard, when determining this application, the Licensing Sub Committee will need to take into consideration several factors, namely the locality of the venue and its surrounding premises such as schools and places of worships.

The sub-committee is composed of Councillors Angela Piddock, Md Shamsed Chowdhury (Deputy Cabinet Member - Streets and Lead Member - Edgware Road Champion) and Melvyn Caplan.

The Licensing Sub-Committee may determine to:

(a) Grant the application in full

(b) Grant with additional special conditions which the Licensing Sub-Committee deem appropriate; or

(c) Refuse the application.

Should the Licensing Sub-Committee determine to refuse the application for the renewal of a licence under Paragraph 12(3)(a) or (b) Schedule 3 LG(MP)A 1982, the applicant may appeal to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days beginning with the date on which the applicant is notified of the refusal of his application (Para 27(1) Schedule 3 LG(MP)A1982).