Sutton Council have adopted a tough new policy in relation to any lap dancing clubs planning to open in the borough.

Currently there are no lap dancing clubs, sex shops or sex cinemas in Sutton, but in the future, anyone wishing to open one in the borough will now have to specifically apply for a sex establishment licence.

National laws prevent the council from banning sex establishments on moral grounds, but under the new policy, the council can refuse future applications if they are in the vicinity of a school, nursery, park or church, in addition to other places or worship or predominately residential areas.

The policy also gives the council the power to revoke a licence in certain circumstances and allows all people to raise objections.

However, because of national legislation, any objections raised must be made for specific reasons set out in law, rather than on moral grounds.

Councillor Graham Tope, Sutton Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety, Leisure and Libraries, said: “This policy gives the council a valuable weapon in its armoury and allows it to take a firm stance should there ever be applications in the future.

“Previously anyone with a bar licence in the borough could have reopened their premises as a lapdancing club and we wouldn’t have been able to do a thing about it.

"Now they have to apply for a specific sex establishment licence, which means they would have to meet some very stringent criteria.”