Cornwall policy consultation database sex establishment policy – 28 July to 20 October 2010

Ms T (51)	14 Oct 2010	I am writing with regard to the licensing laws for Newquay lap dancing clubs. From my experiences lap dancing clubs have an extremely negative effect on the town. They encourage large groups of men on stag nights, who can be intimidating and offensive to women. When I have had nights out in Newquay (which are very rare now because of the intimidating very drunken atmosphere) there have been numerous times when I have witnessed men coming out of these clubs intoxicated and abusive. I think this creates an incredibly dangerous atmosphere for young women to be in. Having these clubs in a holiday resort does not promote a family friendly environment. It makes the place seem cheap and tacky and geared towards stag parties. Newquay needs entertainment for all ages and gender not just men on drunken nights out. If the council want Newquay to be a pleasant, family friendly resort I think you should think very carefully when making your decision. The image of Newquay as a resort is not enhanced by offering the services they provide and the towns image would benefit if the cap for Newquay was set at zero.
Newquay Christian Association – Mr R (52)	14 Oct 2010	Regarding the above I have to express huge concern over establishments that trade on blatant sexuality in a small town that is struggling to keep any form of family element at the top of its agenda. I have worked in this town for 18 years and watched it slide into a hedonistic summer destination for 1000’s of people who are attracted by drink, gambling and in latter years the Sex Industry. In my role as the pastor of a busy church in the centre of this town, I am more than aware of the detrimental effect that these places have on community – something which we, and others are trying desperately hard to build. I ask you to set the cap to zero – and help us to help this town turn back into a community rather than a market place for temporary travellers to use to temporarily remove their inhibitions at the cost of the local community. This is a fantastic town and should be a holiday destination – but it needs clear limits to protect its communal infrastructure
Ms M – Newquay (53)	14 Oct 2010	as a resident of Newquay and Council Tax payer I want to object to the granting of "Sex Establishment" licenses and ask the council to apply a zero cap. The present venues exploited a loophole in the law and granting these licenses now will only encourage a "stag party mentality" to flourish in the town.  There is something quite threatening to be confronted with 10 to 20 men walking together down the street in matching football style shirts - even in the afternoon so why encourage this.  Why should Newquay be the focus for these establishments?
Ms J (54)	14 Oct 2010	I would like to give my opinion on lap dancing being allowed in Newquay .I have been a resident here for 16 years and feel that the Newquay we once had is almost unrecognizable ! Before moving here we used to quite happily wander round the town with our children on holiday untill 9 or 10 at night.It was lovely to browse and buy in the gift shops ,along with many other families .However ,Newquay is no longer a place fit for family holidays .My older children have now moved away ,as going out at night is such a tawdry affair .My younger daughter (age 14) now goes shopping with friends to Truro ,because as parents we do not feel happy with what they might see in town EVEN in the day !! The Stag and hen parties now dominate the town ,and I often feel sorry for the pensioners I see getting off coaches here .What on earth is there here for them to do ?In fact ,what is here for any of us to do?Apart from staying OUT of Newquay alltogether ,which we ,as a family ,now do. A couple of years ago we spent a holiday at Swanage ,and what an eye opener !!In the evening there was a live band playing opposite the beach.The whole place was FULL of people ALL ages .Families with toddlers,pensioners,teenagers ...All having a great time.The shops were PACKED and the tills ringing .I mentioned to my partner how it reminded me of how Newquay USED to be !! I say ZERO cap on licensing for lap dancing .Im sure we would then start to attract the right sort of holidaymakers back to the county ,and locals will no longer take their custom elsewhere ! Also we may be able to sell a few of those expensive apartments that have been built .After all ,someone with£ 250.000 to spare surely would like somewhere a little classier to spend their evenings AND their money !!
Ms P – Newquay (57)	14 Oct 2010	I've grown up in Newquay and I am firmly behind the belief that there should be no lap dancing clubs in the town. If we are to make a positive change to the town image then we need to move away from this type of business, we need to stop and rethink the businesses opening in the town centre and the image they portray.
Ms M (59)	14 Oct 2010	I am writing to express my views on Lap Dancing Clubs in Newquay. I do not think it is appropriate to provide this service to residents and visitors. Please set a cap at zero for Newquay town centre. I do not think clubs such as these have a positive effect on the town and county. They create a bad night time environment, have a negative effect on the town at night and only bring in more drunken groups of lads. The image of Newquay as a resort is being ruined by offering the services they provide. The towns image would definitely benefit if the cap for Newquay was set at zero. This will help bring more families to the town and less stag do's and may even result in more locals feeling safe to go out in their own town.
Revd McQ – St Columb-Minor (60)	15 Oct 2010	I am concerned about the state of Newquay and its future. i feel that the Council should under the new Government legislation set the cap at nil, and choose not have the commercial sex industry on our high streets. We need to ensure that Newquay remains the town of the family. Newquay town centre is quite small and I cannot fathom where would be an appropriate location for clubs within the sex industry, with residential and commercial properties bordering each other across the town and its hinterland. Newquay has so much too offer, let us concentrate on the good things, not on the sex industry with its negative impact across the whole social spectrum; (N.B. a more detailed response was to be submitted following clarification of matters by the Licensing Team Manager (Central), however no further submission was received.)
Mrs D – Newquay (61)	15 Oct 2010	I'm writing to offer my views regarding the Lap Dancing in Newquay.   In my opinion Cornwall Council has a duty of care for the young and under 18s who visit Newquay for The Exodus project each year and in my opinion it is vital that the cap for such licences in Central Newquay should be set at zero.   In Newquay central ward there are 1,532 households with a population of 3,512.  There are 748 who LIVE in the central ward, not just passing through on the way to school, but living here.  And that is just the central ward.   There are 4 lap dancing clubs, this is equal to one per 383 households. The national average is 1 license to every 100,000 households. Surely this is enough evidence that there are just too many lap dancing clubs in Newquay.   Newquay Council has a duty of care to all residents and especially to the children passing these premises on their way to school, the beaches and the play areas as well as children's clubs.  No child should have to live where the activities in these clubs are a normal part of life.   Visitors as well as local people alike often feel threatened by the presence of the clubs, often making residents and visitors unwilling to come into town. The presence of these lap dancing clubs gives the town a seedy image.   The new cinema will help in returning Newquay back into a nice town for both locals and visitors.
Mr B – Newquay (62)	15 Oct 2010	Newquay has a community of intelligent and caring adults who want the best for every child in the district. I wonder what contribution lap-dancing clubs and strip clubs make to our outstanding community? By licensing such clubs to operate, Council Members are saying it is fine for spiritual, moral, cultural and social development of our young people to be subjected to sexual entertainment on our door step and that exploitation of vulnerable women is fine.  I do mean on our doorstep.  The establishment which was Tall Trees is literally 20 yards from my school fence and we regularly have to clear up the broken bottles which are thrown over the fence into our school grounds – obviously putting our children at risk of injury as well as mentally. Newquay is a great place to live and ought to be a wonderful resort for families to come and share their holidays.  The drunken and sleazy town which is the current Newquay is not what I want to be associated with.  Why is profit put before everything else?  When will Cornwall Council face up to the very serious issues of this town?  Already we see Newquay and St Austell listed in top twenty of debt-ridden communities in the Country. I’m not proud of that! Where is our theatre?  Where are our fun filled children’s entertainment venues (Dairyland excepted)? When will Cornwall Council think about the needs of the Newquay community?  In our town, and it is my town, we are very fortunate in having outstanding schools at infant, junior and secondary stages.  I do not believe that any other seaside town in the country could say this.  This is the case despite minimal efforts of the County, not because of its support for us.  Let us together make Newquay a place of which we can be justifiably proud; a bright and vibrant seaside town with stunning beaches, fun-packed family entertainment and a whole year round great place to live.  Schools have the led the way for you – now please do your bit and stop the licensing of lap-dancing clubs and promotion of inappropriate sexualised and drunken behaviour of which Newquay is becoming renown.
St Austell Town Council – (63)	15 Oct 2010	Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft policy and consultation documents relating to Sex Establishment Licensing which St Austell Town Council has taken very seriously.  A number of Councillors and myself attended the briefings which you kindly held in September and we have undertaken a desk top review of the St Austell area to identify those parts which we feel are particularly sensitive in relation to the criteria identified within the legislation and explained in Section 11 of the draft licensing policy document.  St Austell has a broad spread of schools, nurseries, crèches, parks and childrens play areas, residential and sheltered accommodation, religious and community buildings etc and we have identified those streets within St Austell which we believe because of the concentrations of these types of premises should be designated with a numerical limit of zero for each of the classes of sex establishment.  (The attached document sets out the streets within St Austell which the Town Council consider should have a numerical limit of zero).  The Town Council accepted the guidance that we could not object to sex establishments per se and have only designated those areas which they feel are most sensitive for the zero limit.  If you have any questions with regard to this or any concerns with regard to the methodology please do not hesitate to contact me. In addition to the detailed work on numerical limits, the Council would ask Cornwall Council to consider including Town and Parish Councils within the list of normal consultees for individual licensing applications relating to Sex Establishments. The Council also felt that the provisions relating to the behaviour of customers should be strengthened and that the licensing authority should be given greater power should there be inappropriate customer behaviour at the sex establishments.  Some concern was also expressed that although there are clauses relating to display and access to sex shops, Cornwall Council should explore further the conditions with regard to display and access to ensure that young people are excluded from such premises. I hope that these comments are helpful and thank you once again for the opportunity to comment. If there are any issues with regard to the work undertaken concerning numerical limits, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Ms B (66)	16 Oct 2010	In June 2008 a royal marine down in Newquay for the weekend to visit Divas tried to rape me and when I fought back he stamped on and kicked my head and face so brutally that he broke my jaw, nose and eye socket.  The police said it was the worst attack they had seen in 20 years. I don't want the people that these bars attract in this county, let alone the town my impressionable, innocent, 4 year old son stays in every other weekend.  There are statistics which prove that in areas where these bars open, violent crimes like sexual assault and rape increase by approximately 80%. Newquay police force can have as little as 2 officers on at one time during summer OR winter, with a summer population of 120,000+. It doesn't bode well. Especially when, like me, you see how appallingly they run sexual assault/rape cases. It is essential that we get rid of these lapdancing bars from our sleepy, seaside towns. They clearly need to operate from areas where there is a bigger, more competent police force, which sadly we do not have here in Cornwall. Whilst living in Newquay as a young mother, I was embarrassed and fearful when walking through the streets during the day time due to the high volume of all male stag do's, attracted by Newquay's sex trade. I have personally been approached on the street and asked to take my clothes off for money in these clubs, which I find incredibly offensive, embarrassing and intrusive. As I have explained, I have been subjected to a brutal sexual and physical attack by a 'punter' of one of these establishments. I have also been subjected to taunts by groups of drunken, rowdy, sexually aroused louts leaving the premises of these bars.  I moved away from Newquay as it is no longer a safe place to be, day or night, and I wouldn't dream of raising my son there. My friends and I (all under 25) wouldn't visit Newquay as we know that we are not safe. Newquay has a reputation with all young people in Cornwall for being a dangerous and volatile area, going even steeper downhill and fast. This objection to lap dancing bars hasn't been 'dreamt up' by 'ugly old women with nothing better to do' as the club owners would have you believe. Every person, of all ages and appearances, supporting this campaign has been affected in one way or another. I would like to highlight fact that I know a large volume of people under the age of 25 who also want to see the cap set at zero, and to start getting our towns back to the safe, welcoming environments that we are entitled to. This is because we are all directly threatened by the violent, drunken, sexually motivated behaviour of the 'gentlemen' these clubs are aimed at. We women are not a punchbags, or sexual objects to be treated however these men please, so kindly stop inviting them to come to our home towns and treating us in this way.
Ms M (67)	16 Oct 2020	I feel that we must take a ZERO tolerance attitude to the exploitation of women in our society.    While I realise that the women employed in this industry are probably mostly doing so of their own free will.  I think that we need to consider both the long term effects to our society's attitude to women, the messages that we are sending out to our children and the reasons why the women working in this industry choose this career path.   I would like to elaborate on each of these considerations below from my point of view, which I feel will reflect the opinion of many and hopefully touch on some obvious consequences of the sexual exploitation of women.  It also highlights some important questions that need to be addressed when making this life changing decision.   The attitude of society towards women - Women have fought and died for equality in what has been a predominately male dominated society. The equalities act 2010 stresses the need for equality, including gender equality.  How can we obtain this when we are sending out mixed messages? Women are still being paid less than men for the same jobs and women are being sold as sexual objects to be used for the sexual gratification of men.    How can we expect the men in our society to fully respect women when women are being portrayed as sexual objects, available to be used and sold for how they look; half naked and cavorting for the benefit of their audience - It is the responsibility of the Council to lead by example on equality and respect of people by not allowing this behaviour, in order gain respect for women in all areas of society and to help our young women to grow with respect for themselves.   How do these clubs impact on peoples relationships?  Does the mother at home that turns a blind eye that her partner is going out to seek sexual fulfilment elsewhere receive respect for not expressing how she feels, but ends up resentful and wanting revenge or perhaps declines into a depression.  Or does her partner come home after a night of alcohol and sexual stimulation to a woman who wants to tell him how upset she is, so they row all night with the children listening? These of course are just two scenarios.  Has the effect of this sort of establishment on relationships been evaluated, are you making an informed decision? If not, and it is decided to adopt lap dancing clubs on any level are you risking the future of families?  What indirect impact could your decision have on children and the care they receive?  would you be increasing the levels of parents bringing up their children single handed?    The messages that we send to our children - In my work with children, young people and families one of the key themes of parenting is 'modelling'.  Children learn values, behaviour and attitudes from the adults in their life and the community in which they live.  The Council has a responsibility to ensure that their policies are protecting the most vulnerable and influential people in our communities (our children) who I doubt very much have a voice in this consultation as it would be highly inappropriate which again raises the question if it is appropriate at all that we should even consider sex establishments.    With one in four women in this country will be the victim of domestic abuse at some time in their lives.  Is it not a PRIORITY to take drastic measures to ensure the respect of women by educating children about healthy relationships both at home and in school?  While this is all part of national and local agenda, would it not be a contradiction if we teach our children SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning) in school, then set up establishments in the heart of the community which disregard any of those values, increasing and encouraging participation in pursuits which de-value and undermine women ?    I think it is important to consider the impact of mixed messages on our children and how they learn about gender differences, respect and relationships. The Local Authority is setting the standards of behaviour that are deemed acceptable, you will be setting the boundaries of our cultural values.   If we agree to a policy that celebrates and condones the use of women as sexual objects for men to use; while often their partners are at home in bed or taking care of the children, or young men who are still developing their own values on respect and relationships, how will this encourage respect of women in our society?  What about our young females who are growing up, what messages are we sending to them?;  They should expect be used to meet the social sexual needs of a man,  Relationships are based on a man's needs and you must be there to nurture and raise a family and it is ok for your partner to pursue other sexual avenues (using the family income to buy another women's flesh for a couple of hours),  Sex is not part of love it is a disposable commodity as are the women who provide it? or even sex and love are two separate things?  When we think of the girls growing up in our communities we know have influenced they are by the promotion of beautiful women in the media and what they are doing, the same applies on a more local level which leads me on to ambition.   The reasons why women are choosing this career path:  This should be a huge consideration.  Why would a women strip herself naked and dance in front of strangers,for a living?   Is there an underlying psychological reason for this behaviour?  For example; could it be a subconscious receipt of acceptance and acknowledgement from men which fulfils an underlying need that perhaps was not met when they were a child i.e. father/daughter relationships.  Or is it the pressures of a society that celebrates consumerism where people are never happy with what they have and so this is a gap in the consumerist relationship market?  Or perhaps it is the money - after all, as explained above women are still receiving less income for the same jobs as men, this has an effect on career options.  Can a woman make better money for selling her body in a society where it is a struggle to survive? Particularly in Cornwall where we have such high levels of deprivation. If this is in fact the case, surely there needs to be a shift in employment policy and an increase in wages to enable sustainable living in a healthy environment?   I would like to ask one final question.  After consultation with the public, who will ultimately make the decision about our policy?  Will it be an equally gendered panel of people from the council?  I fear that the opinions of men and women could differ greatly in this particular arena.  Therefore it would be only right to have representatives of both sexes in equal measures making the decisions.  Further to this I wonder if you will indeed be taking into consideration the views and voice of the general public in your final decision and to what degree?  Have you sought the views of the majority or minority? have you covered the views of people living in the direct vicinity as well as others that will be affected by your decision or have you left it to those of us with strong opinion to come forward?   Thank you for taking the time to read my contribution.  I feel that morally you have a very easy decision to make.  Although the responsibility of the consequences of your decision will be a large one either way.  For the sake of our children, families and communities I ask you to make the right choice.
Mrs R (70)	17 Oct 2010	Now that a step has at last been made to clean up Newquays sleazy image,could you please do your level best to ensure that we do not have to waste any more money tackling such issues again, by ensuring that Cornwall has a zero limit for all such activities. Newquay wants a strong FAMILY image again and then the locals as well as the tourists can rest easy.
Ms C – Newquay (71)	17 Oct 2010	I would like to see the end to lap dancing clubs in newquay. I have two teenage daughters aged 19 and 13, my eldest daughter has been subject to unwanted sexual advances by many men on stag party nights out in Newquay, my youngest also has been leered at in the town centre while out shopping with me on a saturday afternoon. I also have a 17 year old son who can at times feel intimidated by large gangs of drunken males who roam the streets of Newquay as they move from one pub to another chanting loudly in foul language often wearing crude attire. I feel very strongly that we are encouraging young men to come to Newquay for a weekend of booze and sex by continually advertising stag events and sex orientated nights out in clubs such as the lap dancing ones in Newquay. Newquay should be focussing solely on attracting the family and surf pound, at the moment it is the easy option to go for the stag pound. We have many expensive flats in Newquay wiating to be sold, would you spend over 1/4 of a million pounds to live in a town which sees fit to encourage a more sordid night time economy. I would like to back the zero cap on lap dancing clubs as I feel this is a step forward in reclaiming a family orientated Newquay.
Miss C – Newquay (72)	17 Oct 2010	I support the zero cap on lap dancing clubs in Newquay wholeheartedly. Being a 19 year old girl living in the town has meant i have experienced first hand the "joys" of stag do's descending upon the town on friday and saturday nights. I would have no problem with them if they didn't loiter outside the said lap dancing clubs leering and jeering at passing by women. Even the bouncers at the doors to the clubs enjoy calling out, inviting women inside to "work". These lap dancing clubs pose a great threat to all the respectable residents in the town and even tourists looking for a nice night out with friends. Something needs to be done. Thank you.
Mrs P (73)	17 Oct 2010	I would like to register my objection to lap-dancing clubs in Newquay.  I think they are totally inappropriate for any small town. Last Christmastime my 4 yr old granddaughter was climbing up on the tractor and trailer ride provided by the Rotary Club of Newquay, She saw the angel in the upstairs window opposite the old Woolworth’s building and asked if she could go there.  It is in fact Halo’s, a nightclub with adult entertainment. Obviously I couldn’t give her the real reason why it was not a suitable place to visit, but it should not be on the High Street,  please put a stop to these in our town.
Mrs D – Newquay (74)	17 Oct 2010	I believe the Council can and should set a zero cap of nil for the Central Ward of Newquay. My reasons are many. It is ridiculous to suggest that lap dancing clubs do not impact on the lives of those who live and work within the vicinity of the club. Although the ‘activities’ may take place behind closed doors, the advertising, the dancers and the punters do not remain behind closed doors. What they do attract to the town are sex tourists who impact on the wider community. Many people who live in the town or visit the town on a regular basis have become intimidated by these tourists. My 18 year old son, for instance, has had to protect his 18 year old girlfriend from groups of men who ask her to kiss them in the street, slap her bottom and make generally lewd and suggestive remarks to her. I have walked through town with my 8 year old daughter and passed dancers in the street inviting men into the club to see their tits. (Their words not mine.) Newquay Central Ward is an inappropriate location for lap dancing clubs due to the intensive residential areas within the ward. There are also a number of churches, play groups, sheltered accommodations, schools and community venues for WI, Brownie and Guides, and other youth meetings, all within a few hundred yards of the main town centre. Lap Dancing clubs in Newquay Central Ward have had a serious impact on other local businesses and will continue to do so if the cap is not set at zero. I used to run a B&B but had to close when the families and couples I relied on for my income stopped coming due, they told me, to feeling uncomfortable with what they called ‘strip clubs’ within the town. The only enquiries I was getting were from groups of men. Obviously, with an 8 year old daughter I could not invite them into my home and so have been forced to close my doors. Lap Dancing clubs do not promote Gender Equality, a duty which the Council needs to take seriously under European Legislation. They have a negative impact on the women of the town who are unable to feel equal knowing that some of them are being sold by some businessmen to other men for money. This is not harmless fun but extremely damaging to most women in the town. Lap Dancing clubs do not protect our children from harm. Young women will grow up in the belief that their worth is measured by how much a man is wiling to pay to see her naked body, and young men will grow up with the view that women are a commodity. Newquay has recently suffered from a lot of negative publicity and needs to make a statement to the country and to the world that it is doing all in its power to change its image and to re-attract the family market. Saying no to lap dancing clubs would be a real and financial boost to the town, encouraging a more wide ranging business community and a more diversified visitor. I therefore ask the Council to support the people of Newquay and set a cap of zero for the Newquay Central Ward.
Dr S – Newquay (75)	17 Oct 2010	I am writing to express my views on the licensing of lapdancing clubs in Cornwall.  As a young (ish - 31!) female living in Newquay, I feel that lapdancing clubs have become too prominant in the centre of a small resort in Cornwall.  Whilst lap dancing clubs are found in many larger cities throughout the developed world, and in larger UK resorts such as Brighton, Blackpool, Bournemouth, etc. Newquay as a resort is much smaller in comparison.  In larger resorts, it is possble to go out and avoid locations near lapdancing clubs & their "gentlemen" clientele.  However in smaller places like Newquay this is impossible, and means that all visitors and families that venture into the town see the clubs and cannot avoid mixing with their customers on the streets outside.  I also feel that the clubs help to attract less desirable tourists to Newquay in partcular - many towns in Cornwall have a thriving tourist business with no lap dancing clubs, such as Falmouth, St. Ives and Padstow.  The dominance of a few large bar owners and links to lapdancing clubs has led to Newquay being marketed as a  holiday location for crass sleazy men to visit to get drunk & get laid.  As a local, these tourists (men in particular) also harass women like myself when they are out.  I believe Newquay, and Cornwall as a whole has great potential to be marketed as a location for holidays and stag / hen do's based on coastal activities such as surfing, coasteering, sailing and climbing combined with a varied nightlife that uses good local music from bands and DJs and the promotion of local cider farms and breweries.  Newquay primarily needs a wider variety of nightlife - the cinema, more shops and more restaurants as well as the many bars / clubs that exist which are numerous & often closing down / changing hands. I therefore believe that reduction or zero-cap on lap-dancing establishments would be preferable - and if some visitors choose not to come because there are no lap dancing clubs then it would probably be a good thing, provided that alternative marketing is used to attract tourists (who might perhaps have been put off by the very people that lap-dancing clubs attract).
Ms B (77)	17 Oct 2010	I would like to see the amount of lap dancing clubs in Newquay set at a zero cap. I feel its damaging the town and its not something that a family orientated town needs. Newquay is a holiday town which gets full of children and i feel that having these such clubs around not suitable. Its degrading to women, brings in bad people and is also dangerous to the women who choose to work there, and pay to work there! Its ridiculous!
Mrs M – Newquay (78)	18 Oct 2010	In Newquay we have 1 Outstanding Infant School, 2 Good and 1 Outstanding Primary schools and both secondary schools are judged as Outstanding by Ofsted. There are very few towns in the United Kingdom that can boast such an incredible level of education for their children. All the schools in Newquay work hard to create aspiration in the young women of Newquay to ensure they enter the world of work with excellent life chances. FACT- Recent surveys have suggested that 63% of young women aspire to be glamour models. 25% want to be lap dancers and only 3% teachers. (http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news.co.uk/news/s/161/161338_naked_ambition_rubs_off_on_teen_girls.html) So I must question what contribution do lap-dancing clubs and strip clubs make to our outstanding community? The schools in Newquay are achieving so much but by licensing such clubs to operate, Council Members are saying that working in lap dancing clubs is an acceptable job for our young people to aspire to. Licensing these venues tells our students that it is acceptable for them to work in an industry that is built on the exploitation of vulnerable women. From the age of 7 pupils at Newquay Junior School are confronted by Tall Trees and know exactly what it is and what it sells. When judging the quality of provision in my school I always use the measure “would this be good enough for my own child?” I would therefore ask the members of Cornwall Council when they are making the decisions to grant licenses for lap dancing clubs to question “would this job be good enough for my child?” I think I know what the answer would be. Lap dancing is not a good enough job for any of the wonderful, vibrant young people in Newquay. They deserve to live in a community where they are valued and not vulnerable. A community where they feel protected by their town and not scared because of what it contains. FACT- Eaves Housing conducted research into the effects of licensing and attitudes to lap dancing establishments in two boroughs of London, including Camden. They found that in the 3 years before and after 4 lap dancing venues opened in Camden incidents of rape increased by 50% and sexual assaults by 57%. They also found increased levels of harassment of women in the area and fear of violence. (Eaves (2003) “Lap dancing and striptease in the Borough of Camden”) Hackney Council have set their cap at nil and Cornwall Council can set the cap at the same level. If the young people of Hackney are valued enough for there to be no lap dancing clubs, why not the children of Newquay? It is our role to protect and nurture them and that does not stop at the school gates, it is the responsibility of us all and that includes those with the power to grant licenses.
Mrs B - Newquay (79)	18 Oct 2010	I am writing to register my support for a zero cap on lap-dancing clubs in Newquay.  RT suggests that: “…with little or no adult entertainment in town, (customers) will choose to go to Torquay or Bournemouth and give Newquay a miss”.  However, Newquay has only acquired adult entertainment in the town in recent years, and it is not and should not be fundamental to what the town can both offer and profit from.      A lap-dancing club IS part of the sex trade.  Customers might not enter the establishment for sex but the club undeniably provides sexual stimulation, since it profits from customers’ purchasing of lap-dances performed by naked or semi-naked women.  RT admits that dancers do go within three feet of customers when a dance is NOT taking place.  This means the 'entertainment' on offer cannot be described as wholly performance-based, since a physical element is also undeniably possible during a visit.  Setting a zero cap in Newquay provides us with a unique opportunity to operate as a world-class tourist destination which does NOT support the buying and selling of women on its high streets.  RT states that ‘whether or not you agree with adult entertainment clubs, they are part of our life now’.  However, the fundamental issue here is that they don’t have to be; we have a choice!  We should not allow Newquay to be pressured into the misguided view that sex establishments are acceptably integral to the town’s popularity and prosperity as a tourist destination.
Mr B – Newquay (80)	18 Oct 2010	Zero tolerance please without a shadow of doubt Why should council tax payers pay to police a club that was never wanted and who's clientele are from outside of the area ie mainly stag and hen parties?  Newquay council would prefer Newquay not to be a stag and hen venue. The majority of residents don't want stag and hen parties Newquay is only a small coastal town labelled as 'Nooky Newquay' and clubland. Whereas it should be tourism's jewel in the crown attracting  people from all generations particularly families. If ,as a society we have to have sex establishments, they should only be allowed in large cities ie Plymouth, Bristol etc Lap dancing and sex establishments are degrading for females and entice young vulnerable girls with the lure of high earnings Let's not kid ourselves, Sex Establishments mainly attract people who are looking for sex.
Mr C – Newquay (84)	18 Oct 2010	I would like to see A NIL CAP FOR LAP DANCING CLUBS IN NEWQUAY.  Newquay was and always should be a family resort and not brought down by these sleazey pubs/clubs. I do not want my little boy growing up in a town full of sleaze and filth.
Ms W (85)	18 Oct 2010	I would like to make it known that I want a nil cap for lap dancing clubs in Newquay.
Ms M – Newquay (88)	19 Oct 2010	As Headteacher of the largest secondary school in Newquay (with well over 1600 students on roll) and one of the largest in Cornwall, I am writing to express my very grave concerns and objections regarding the potential proliferation of lap dancing clubs in our town. As the Council is very well aware, we are doing our utmost to improve the image of Newquay nationally and to promote responsible and safe behaviours amongst our youngsters. Our school has just received an "Outstanding" judgement following a recent inspection. The safety and wellbeing of our students was singled out for very high praise. Our Sex & Health education strategy seeks to promote loving and caring relationships, based on self and mutual respect . I feel that the presence of clubs such as these in the town positvely undoes all the good work we are doing. There is much evidence to show that sex establishments can have  a damaging effect on children's attitudes and I am in no doubt that they contribute to the town's negative image. I urge the council to stop licensing them in Newquay.
Mr S – Newquay (89)	19 Oct 2010	I am writing to you to request that you set the cap for the number of Sexual Encounter Establishments in Newquay town centre, at zero. I am a Newquay resident and know first hand of the drink related problems that the town centre faces during the summer months and of the poor image that Newquay has both nationally and within Cornwall. I do not wish to see the towns' image further besmirched by the presence of said clubs in our town centre. Cornwall has whole and Newquay in particular can and has done o.k. without the existence of these Gentlemens Clubs. Newquay is situated in a stunningly naturally beautiful place and has five marvellous beaches and a vibrant surfing scene and as such is a magnet to visitors to Cornwall. Over recent years, due to lax licensing by, the now defunct, Restormel Borough Council, Newquay has gained a reputation as something of a party town where anything goes. Newquay now has a thriving “night time economy” with all the attendent alcohol related problems that this brings. The town has found itself as an attractive place for Stag and Hen party's to come to. I am not keen on the Stag and Hen party thing as we (Newquay residents)generally have to put up with large groups of drunk people and sometimes this can be quite threatening. I speak as a male who is generally not intimidated very easily, even so during the summertime I tend to stay in on weekend evenings. This is not to mention the criminal damage to property, noise and people urinating in the sreets. If Newquay as a town is going to seek to attract Stag and Hen Parties it should try to attract both Stags and Hens equally. At present there appears to be far more Stags than Hens. At the moment there seems to be Ten individual men to One indivual lady. The Hens it seems to me are not coming to Newquay anymore. This is why I believe the cap should be set at zero. By having any Lap Dancing clubs in town, we are only attracting Stags and also making Newquay an unatttractive place for ladies, couples and families to come to visit. This in the long run can only be detrimental to the town. There are many individual people, parties and groups in Newquay (The Newquay S.A.F.E. initiative being one of the more prominent ones) who are working very hard to enhance the reputation of our brilliant town. Please do not destroy their, mine and our hard work. Please set the cap for Newquay at zero.
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly SARC Partnership Board (90)	19 Oct 2010	Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this consultation. I am writing on behalf of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Partnership Board. The Board has representation from a range of partners including Third Sector organisations, Devon and Cornwall Police, Cornwall Council and the NHS. The Board wishes to highlight the potential for increased risk of sexual violence to women as a direct result of an increase in sex establishments in the County. We wish to draw attention to the work of Dr Linda Papadopoulos who has researched causal links of sexual violence and refers to links with lap dancing clubs, the sexualisation, objectification, and the commodification of women. It is important to note that her findings have been supported by a further nine separate studies. She concluded “…With the ubiquity of sexualisation and the increasing pornification of society has come the mainstreaming of the sex industry, as exemplified by the proliferation of lap-dancing clubs. Sexualisation – and the commodification of women and girls – is now so ingrained in our culture that lap-dancing is widely viewed as acceptable, ‘making the harm of commercial sexual exploitation invisible’….” The Board is deeply concerned about the increased risk to women who work in the sex industry and to all women and young girls in Cornwall. It has been suggested that there is a conflict in the Governments policy position (Violence against Women & Girls Strategy versus Legality of Sex establishments). The Board believes that the logical response to this conflict should be to take a robust view (as some other authorities have done) in restricting to an absolute minimum, the number of establishments’, their locations, hours of opening and activities. There is a need to ensure that women and girls employed in these establishments (‘performers’) are able to make a free and informed choice, by building contractual requirements into the licences. The Board supports the recommendations made by Michelle Davies, Domestic Violence Coordinator for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. These are - “…Performers must have the freedom and capacity to consensually enter into a contractual agreement with the ‘employers’. ‘Employers’ must ensure that ‘performers’ conform to hours stipulated under ‘Working hours regulations’ or in choosing to sign out of this, ‘performers’ must have the freedom and capacity to make an informed decision…” We have seen reported in other parts of the Country that illegal people trafficking is linked to some lap dancing clubs. With the ‘light touch enforcement described in the proposals, how will we know if this is happening in Cornwall, or if the girls/women have made an informed choice or not? We would be grateful if these comments are noted when considering how this issue is handled in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.
Ms M – Newquay (91)	19 Oct 2010	I am writing in response to the Lap Dancing Club in Newquay.  This is my town, MY TOWN, I live here, my children were born here and they are now fully functioning working adults in Newquay.  I have discussed this with them and we as locals all agree that this issue should be a closed book.  Our town does not need this type of entertainment(?).  It creates a horrible atmosphere in this area, as you have, at the end of the day, horny drunk men wandering through our town.  They are brash, loud, offensive and in the case of female visitors and locals are damned dangerous.  We need to encourage family nights and things for children to do.  They do not need to see men falling over drunk, peeing in the street, fighting etc.  Do something positive for Newquay and cap this Lap Dancing rubbish, once and for all.  We will fight this until we who live here win.
Mrs MacL (92)	19 Oct 2010	I wish to use the powers that the government have given me, and have a say about how my town is "managed" by contributing to the consultation that is taking place.   I am the mother of two young children, a girl of 11yrs and a boy of 7yrs. I live near the centre of Newquay town with my husband, children and a dog. We love our town but have been witness to a steady decline in the way things are going. It is quite rare that we now go into town as a "family" due to the experiences we have had and witnessed eg half naked girls in the streets "touting" for business at a lap dancing club, behaviour exhibited.  This obviously brings certain kinds of attention and it is not restricted to the girls themselves. This has occurred during the day, when young families are out and about which obviously, if you dont wish your children to see this behaviour and think it is the norm (BECAUSE IT ISNT!!!!!!!!!!) despite what some people may say, you then avoid. I do not take my children out in the town in the evening and this is encroaching on THEIR rights to have access to their home town. The general behaviour of the groups of people visiting our hometown who obviously do not feel that respectful behaviour to person or property is required. This must be affecting the businesses in our town as I know many people steer clear of the town centre and take their business elsewhere.   My children both attend Newquay Junior School, a fabulous school that puts its childrens needs as a priority. Unfortunately, across the road is a nightclub with a lapdancing license, this is a most inappropriate place for this to be situated. I know that the school has problems of discarded bottles and used condoms being thrown over the fence. Obviously this is a massive physical risk to the safety and well being of the children (and staff). This is also a massive risk to the mental well being of the children. They will grow up being desensitised to this type of sexual entertainment. I, for one, DO NOT wish for my beautiful daughter to grow up thinking that this is a goal that she could achieve when thinking of a career. Nor do I wish my son to grow up thinking that it is OK to treat women as objects. I am working hard to build my childrens self worth and self respect, I feel that having a lap dancing club across the road from an educational establishment is a direct contradiction. "Anybody can achieve anything if they work hard enough!!!!!!!"..... that is the message I would like my children to learn.   On the journey to and from school, my children have to walk past Tall Trees night club with its lap dancing license. They also have to walk past Halos lap dancing club. Thankfully Divas no longer has their license so they do not have to pass that on the way to Towan beach, although I believe Corkers and The Chy still have their licenses. Four lapdancing clubs in such a small area.... an excess by anybodys standards surely!!!   I have, since the decline, had to change my route when going home in the evenings as I do not feel safe walking through the town. I feel that this town is a no-go area for many individuals and it has not always been this way. Newquay has always had a good night time economy but was able to have this without the lapdancing clubs. The lapdancing clubs are attracting a different type of "customer", one that has no respect or consideration for others (I am sure there will be the odd exception to this rule).  My Mother and my 10 yr old nephew had a dreadful experience in the town with young men which he still talks about now.   The most recent experience I had (crime number obtained as I reported this when reaching home), was when out walking on the Killacourt with my children and dog on a lovely sunny afternoon trying to relax after a hard week at work. I observed a "gentleman" urinating against the wall of the retirement flats and decided that I didnt wish my children to observe this behaviour, so moved further along. I stopped to chat to an elderly lady who was admiring my dog when I noticed that the "gentleman" who had previously been urinating, was now driving a petrol powered remote control car AT my children, circling them.  He obviously thought this was highly amusing, I did not. He directed the car at my dog also and then at another passer by and his dog. I decided to leave and asked him not to direct the car at my children. I was not rude or aggressive, my children were present and I am trying to bring them up to respect and have consideration for others. The "gentleman" then hurled a torrent of abuse and swearing at me (in front of my children) causing much upset. I believe that this is the kind of person being attracted to Newquay and this behaviour is becoming more the "norm" and I feel that would be a great shame.   Please take mine and all others feelings about this matter into consideration and agree on a Zero cap for Newquay Central Ward. Help us to improve Newquays image and our childrens home and future.
Miss D - Chair - Youth Food Movement UK – Newquay (94)	19 Oct 2010	I would like to commit to record that I would like you to set a ZERO cap for lapdancing clubs in the Newquay Central Ward, and the rest of Newquay and Cornwall.   It does not feel safe in the streets at night due to 'sexually aroused' men loitering outside of Halo's. If I walk past even at reasonable hours there are women barely dressed touting for trade and men who think that any woman in the street is as available as the 'dancers'. It is intimidating and threatening. I took my young visiting cousins (Aged 13 and 15) to go fishing at the Fly Cellars and on the way home they were shocked and embarrassed by the Halo's promotional girls walking up and down the high street when it wasn't even dark.   I think that a lapdancing club in an area where there are over 700 children living in the area is a shocking situation. It works out that at present there is 1 lap-dancing license per 187 children in Newquay Central ward area whereas the national average is 1 lap-dancing license per 33,600 children.   Thank you for adding this to the other concerned residents of Newquay on this matter.
Miss R - Green Foundation Project Assistant – Boldelva (95)	19 Oct 2010	I would like to support the opinion of Miss D (above).
Ms E-D – Newquay (96)	19 Oct 2010	I would like to commit to record that I would like you to set a ZERO cap for lapdancing clubs in the Newquay Central Ward, and the rest of Newquay and Cornwall.   It does not feel safe in the streets at night due to 'sexually aroused' men loitering outside of Halo's. If I walk past even at reasonable hours there are women barely dressed touting for trade and men who think that any woman in the street is as available as the 'dancers'. It is intimidating and threatening. I took my young visiting cousins (Aged 13 and 15) to go fishing at the Fly Cellars and on the way home they were shocked and embarrassed by the Halo's promotional girls walking up and down the high street when it wasn't even dark.   I think that a lapdancing club in an area where there are over 700 children living in the area is a shocking situation. It works out that at present there is 1 lap-dancing license per 187 children in Newquay Central ward area whereas the national average is 1 lap-dancing license per 33,600 children. I agree entirely with the points made here by my daughter. Newquay tourism and Newquay residents, and Cornwall as a whole have enough attractions for the majority of holidaymakers without stooping to the lowest common denominator.   Yet more worrying, and this may sound far fetched but it is already true of other towns where this kind of sex industry has become established, there are strong links of gangsterism being involved with this kind of business, plus the crime and violence which is associated with it. Recent sources have revealed that these businesses are even attracting interest from such organisations as the Russian mafia. There is no smoke without fire and one dreads to think what might evolve if things go any further, and such criminal elements are encouraged and attracted to our streets by this kind of business activity.  A total STOP is essential to avoid a frightening deterioration in the town and the county.   Thank you for adding this to the other concerned residents of Newquay on this matter.
Chairman Newquay Town Residents Association (97)	19 Oct 2010	We the Newquay Town Residents Association have been campaigning to bring law, order and respect back to the streets of our town. In 2009 we gathered a petition of 3500 signatures of local residents requesting Cornwall Council to take action over the problems caused by the so called night time economy. Our streets at night become a no go area for family tourists and local residents, drunkenness, violence, anti-social behaviour, vandalism and noise seems to be the norm with stag and hen parties staggering from bar to bar hurling abuse at everyone in sight. Organised bar crawls have also had a devastating effect on our street scene with up to 50 people in a group causing mayhem as they stagger from club to club. Two lap dancing clubs have been operating neither of which has obtained planning permission for the change of use from a restaurant. One of the clubs Divas has had its adult entertainment removed due to bad management and the circumvention of the objectives of the licensing act. The males leaving these clubs are usually sexually aroused and under the influence of alcohol and present a significant risk to females frequenting the town. It should be noted that the majority of sexual assaults and rapes are not reported to the police and therefore it is impossible to accurately give figures for these type of offences. The lap dancing clubs are situated in Bank Street in the centre of the shopping area and Gover Lane which is the main road leading to Towan Beach the main beach used by famalies with children.  Families on holiday are frequently accosted in the streets by scantily clad girls from the clubs touting for business and attempting to get any male to enter their club. Newquay is a Cornish family holiday resort and as such lap dancing clubs do not fit into the image of our Cornish town which has suffered from poor planning and licensing decisions of the past. Sex encounter establishments should not be situated in shopping areas, residential areas or in the proximity of schools, places of worship and areas frequented by children. Newquay has a sex shop situated in a back service road with no blatant advertising and causing no offence or generating any problems this is acceptable and appears to be well run. We the Newquay Town Residents Association would therefore ask that under section 11.2 of the draft policy a for a cap of zero to be set on lap dancing clubs and sex cinemas for the central electoral division of Newquay.
Ms D – London (98)	19 Oct 2010	I would like to commit to record that I would like you to set a ZERO cap for lap dancing clubs in the Newquay Central Ward, and the rest of Newquay and Cornwall. I have family living in Newquay and used to live in Newquay myself while at school. My husband, myself, our young daughter and I am expecting our second child have decided to relocate next year and move back to Cornwall from London.  We are both successful professionals and wish to continue or professional development when we move to Cornwall. We feel that this will be more possible in other areas of Cornwall so we will not relocate to Newquay to be near family. Although my family live in Newquay I am reluctant to visit them because of the development of lap dancing clubs and under age drinking. It often makes a visit an unpleasant experience and one that I would rather avoid my young children experiencing. It is  shame because my husband would not consider relocating to Newquay under the current circumstances it is not a desirable town for a young professional family to bring up young children. I am willing to forgo the additional support and help from my family to avoid an environment that if full of alcohol, excess and an over development of the sex industry. I think Newqay needs to really consider what its overall aspirations and what type of person it would like to see relocate to its streets. It needs improved economy and cultural development from professionals and creative input which would do its beautiful environment justice not negative industry that does little to support the community.   It does not feel safe in the streets at night due to 'sexually aroused' men loitering outside of Halo's. If I walk past even at reasonable hours there are women barely dressed touting for trade and men who think that any woman in the street is as available as the 'dancers'. It is intimidating and threatening.   I think that a lap dancing club in an area where there are over 700 children living in the area is a shocking situation. It works out that at present there is 1 lap-dancing license per 187 children in Newquay Central ward area whereas the national average is 1 lap-dancing license per 33,600 children. A total STOP is essential to avoid a frightening deterioration in the town and the county.   Thank you for adding this to the other concerned residents of Newquay on this matter.
Ms H – Redruth (99)	19 Oct 2010	I am writing to engage in the democratic process of Public Consultation initiated by Cornwall County Council with reference to the application of a cap on the licensing of Sex Establishments in Cornwall. I have read the draft document created by CCC and have reached the only conclusion possible. This document appears to give the impression that, in the face of opposition across Cornwall the cap will not be set at Zero, but at a level  designed to support and encourage the presence of Sex Establishments in high streets across Cornwall.  I am currently working in the Post Compulsory Education sector in Cornwall College. I teach inspirational and talented young people across a number of subjects. These young people are filled with the enthusiasm about their skills and abilities, driven to work hard and achieve great things in their lives both in Cornwall and around the world. These young people take the name of Cornwall around the country, indeed around the world, going on to study and work in commerce, creative arts, education, health care, medicine, sports, environmental research, mining... the list goes on.  In the face of my personal knowledge of the abilities that abound in our cornish children and young people I am surprised to read the document written by  Cornwall County council that purports to provide the 'service' of Sex Industry employment for the young women and girls of this county.  Is the council really suggesting that the daughters of this county should be given career advice that advocates selling themselves for the sexual gratification of Sex Tourists? I am saddened to discover that Cornwall County Council has such a low opinion of the young girls and women of this county this should be actively encouraged as a career choice. The placement of these Clubs in our towns by the Councils own hand supports this, in a society where 66% of teenage girls aspire to be glamour models. (http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/161/161338_naked_ambition_rubs_off_on_teen_girls.html) The Council appears to suggest that the girls and young women of Cornwall are only good enough to be bought and sold on our High Streets. These Establishments do not, as implied by their owners create empowerment for women, they fuel a sexist culture in which it is increasingly acceptable to treat women as sex objects, not people.  This has been recognised by the UN Convention on Eliminating All Forms of Discrimination Against Women since 1979 as having clear links to discrimination and violence against women. Areas surrounding lap dancing clubs can become ‘no-go’ areas for women with many women and girls reporting that they feel unsafe in the vicinity of such venues. My personal experience of this is of being verbally sexually abused in the center of Newquay while walking past a Lap Dancing venue in the early evening with my family and children.  The areas around these clubs in Newquay have become areas to avoid for any woman or family who wishes to remain safe and un - threatened.  Research reveals that individuals performing in the clubs face exploitative working conditions. This is supported by evidence held by Devon Constabulary referring to the L2 Club in Plymouth where CCTV cameras showed Lap Dancers being assaulted by customers while at work.  Dancers' are required to pay in advance for the right to work, starting their employment in debt of up to £1000 per month's employment. They have no contract of employment and as such no protection by employment law. The Club owners profit from the Dancers before they have started to work, the Club owners then take up to 80% of any further earnings.  Cornwall County council, in supporting these businesses is encouraging Employment practices that support discrimination and sexual assault in the workplace.   Would the Council members recommend such a 'career choice' for their own daughters and granddaughters, nieces and family friends? If not your daughters, then whose daughters do you suggest we, as advisors to the young people of Cornwall,  recommend this  career to? As we work hard  to support equality and diversity in education, society and business, as required by the Equality Act 2010, how does CCC support such a gender biased piece of legislation? I would very much like to hear how we should take this forward for the young people who make up the future of Cornwall.  The following points are of greatest concern; 1- What advice should we give the sons of Cornwall in respect to this Council supported business venture? Are we truly to teach our sons that the children they have grown up with are now available to be bought and sold in a nightclub on the local high street? As the parent of a happy, kind and respectful 10 yr old boy, perhaps the council could support me in educating him in the protocol for entering a Lap Dancing club in 8 yrs time to buy the services of a school mate? At what point in his education should I teach him the contempt that the council has demonstrated for the women and girls of cornwall?and how does this promote Gender equality in our society? a pre-requisite of all government funded process. 2- The draft document Cornwall County council actively encourages the buying and selling of women and young girls in Cornwall. A Lap Dancing club in Newquay recently lost its license to provide Lap Dancing subsequent to a litany of illegal actions on the premises, including employment of underage girls, drugs use, allowing the sexual assault of employees, so 'young girls' is appropriate in this context. How does the creation of a CCC protected Sex Industry on every cornish high street imply a positive step for Cornwall and its residents.  How does this support the Councils own requirement to embed Equality in their provision of Council services to Cornwall? 3 - The council is required to carry out a Gender Impact Assessment on any new legislation it introduces, I have as yet been unable to evidence this on the Councils own website or document library. I would be grateful know that CCC has taken into consideration the impact of this extraordinary piece of legislation on both boys and girls in Cornwall.  The relevant sections of the Equality Act 2010 with regards to the duty of Public Sector organisations such as CCC apllies;