Opposed strip club 'not troubling the authorities'

A strip club that faces opposition as it tries to renew its licence has never been a problem to authorities since it opened, a barrister has said on its behalf.

The Honeypot in Queen Street, Maidenhead, has had its licence to operate renewed annually since 2011 but objectors to it being granted again include a developer and a councillor.

Ryger Maidenhead, which has built about 440 apartments in the One Maidenhead project, said the area around the club is residential and renewing its licence is unsuitable.

But Philip Kolvin KC, for the club's owner, said it would not be appropriate, justified or proportionate for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) to refuse the application.

RBWM's licensing and public spaces protection order sub-committee is set to decide on the application by the end of the week.

Kolvin said the club was "simply not troubling the authorities – not now, not ever" and that it was not a "brash or dominant venue".

He said owner Alastair Weatherstone had bought a 15-year lease on the site last year, plans to improve its building and appearance in Queen Street and could change its name.

Thames Valley Police has not objected to the licence being renewed.

Tim Barlow, from Ryger Maidenhead, said it has about 1,000 people living in 429 apartments in four blocks at the £200m complex with another 1,000 set to live there in the future.

He said The Honeypot "should no longer be allowed to trade from its current location".

"The neighbourhood has and continues to improve and this sort of establishment is not suited to the immediate surroundings," he said.

Jack Douglas, an independent councillor for St Mary's on RBWM, also spoke at a meeting on Monday over his concerns that the club is unsuitable in an area that has "no prospect of…becoming less residential again".