Future of former Harrogate strip club remains uncertainReaders’ Letters: Harrogate is short of social housing – not luxury apartments

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This letter is in response to two stories. One was about plans to convert King’s Club, a former Harrogate strip club, into luxury flats, and the other revealed plans to turn the former Knaresborough cattle market into a commercial unit. 

North Yorkshire Council should take the opportunity to provide social housing on these sites.

We are not short of executive homes and luxury apartments, but genuinely affordable homes and social housing are desperately needed.

Harrogate is largely dependent upon conference and tourism to provide jobs but these are not high-waged occupations.

People who would otherwise be able to do this work cannot afford to live in Harrogate.

Diane Stokes, Harrogate

Scant information about Harrogate’s ‘new town’ causing community despair

This letter is in response to a feature about how Harrogate’s ‘new town’ is fuelling worries about local roads.

Thank you for the excellent article in the Stray Ferret on the ‘new town’ around Harrogate’s Western Arc.

I have been involved with Harlow and Pannal Residents Association for over ten years, during which time we have been campaigning on the scale of development and the weak or non-existent infrastructure to support this level of development.

Our message has fallen on the deaf ears of the planning authority, the highways authority and the planning inspectorate throughout that period, despite claims that the authorities have ‘engaged’ with us as stakeholders.

North Yorkshire Council, no doubt through limited resources, appear to rely in large part on the private developers to identify the problems with the road and transport network and to come up with the solutions which unsurprisingly amount to very little.   Fundamentally, the studies quantifying the impacts of development have still not yet been produced, either by the developers or the Council, yet a list of ‘mitigations’ is about to be signed off by the Council.  This is what Rene refers to as ‘wrong way round’.  Needless to say, we and the public at large, have not been informed about the cumulative transport assessment which is key to identifying and resolving the problems.

The sheer length of time this has taken, the constant delays, missed targets and scant information have all contributed to a sense of frustration and despair within the community.

We all know that roads in this area are in a very poor condition with widespread potholes and temporary patches. Years of construction activity followed by the impact of thousands of extra vehicles on the country lanes and residential streets in this part of Harrogate present an alarming prospect for residents.

David Siddans, Harrogate

Crimple Valley needs protecting – not developing

This letter is in response to developers reviving plans to build 17 homes in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley.

If planning permission is granted for this application, then as sure as night follows day another application for more housing will follow.

I have lived in Pannal for 60 years and the A61 Leeds Road is a very dangerous road. There have been numerous accidents on and near the bridge. Two acquaintances of mine were tragically killed outside Almsford Bank Stables a few years ago.

Traffic is very fast-moving, due to the road being downhill.

The Crimple Valley is a lovely walk and needs more protection than it currently has.

Harrogate is being overdeveloped and needs more green spaces not less.

Anne Smith, Pannal

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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Fresh plan submitted to convert Harrogate strip club into flats

Plans have been submitted to convert the former Kings Club in Harrogate into 14 apartments.

The prominent town centre building is on the corner of Station Parade and Beulah Street, close to the bus station.

The strip club closed during the first covid lockdown in 2020 and never reopened.

The fresh plans come as North Yorkshire Council approved a proposal for 12 flats at the site in September.

After being empty for almost four years, planning documents state the owner hopes to undertake a major refurbishment to “bring it back to its former glory”.

Documents submitted to North Yorkshire Council said that its current adult entertainment use caused “frequent issues”, including complaints of drunken guests leaving late at night, noise, anti-social behaviour and damage to surrounding properties.

The applicant has looked to rent the first and second floors to new club operators, however, it said the post-covid demand for nightlife has deteriorated.

The 200-capacity venue was set out over two bar levels and included 25 strip booths as well as a large dancing stage with a pole.

The entrance to the club.

But the owner said if it was to remain as a nightclub it would need considerable investment to bring it up to an acceptable standard.

It concluded that converting the upper floors to a selection of “high-quality” two-bedroom apartments is the only viable economic use of the building. Access for residents would be on Beulah Street.

Kings Club was run by businessman Paul Kinsey, who also ran the Viper Rooms and Moko Lounge nightclubs in Harrogate, but all three are now closed.

In a submission to the council, architect James Robinson wrote: 

“The proposed conversion of the upper floors of 1 Oxford Street will have a significant net improvement to the surrounding area and economy over the existing strip club use.

“This is an important building, located in a very prominent town centre location, and its current use as adult entertainment is not fitting for the surrounding area. As mentioned the current use attracts anti-social behaviour, and the conversion to high quality flats is a much more appropriate and viable use for the building.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

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Council approves conversion of Harrogate strip club into flats

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to convert the former Kings Club in Harrogate into 12 flats.

The proposal was submitted by Harrogate developer Forward Investments LLP last October.

The move will see the first and second floor of the building on Oxford Street, known as the Villa Mercedes, converted into residential use.

The Kings Club, which described itself as ‘Yorkshire premier gentleman’s club’, offered topless pole dancing, topless stage strip tease and full nudity lap dancing.

However, the club has since closed.

The proposal will see a mixture of one and two bedroom flats created at the site.

In documents submitted to the council, James Robinson, the planning agent representing the developer, said the conversion of the building would be a “significant improvement” for the area.

He said:

“The proposed conversion of the upper floors of 1 Oxford Street will have a significant net improvement to the surrounding area and economy over the existing strip club use.

“This is an important building, located in a very prominent town centre location, and its current use as adult entertainment is not fitting for the surrounding area.

“As mentioned the current use attracts anti-social behaviour, and the conversion to high quality flats is a much more appropriate and viable use for the building.”

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Harrogate strip club drops legal challenge as new licence agreed

A legal challenge between Harrogate’s only strip club and the council has been dropped after the owners warned a ban on dancers drinking alcohol would “simply finish the business”.

The Kings Club, on Oxford Street, had its sexual entertainment licence renewed by Harrogate Borough Council’s sub-licensing committee in September.

But conditions that dancers do not drink alcohol and must be paid by bank transfer led to the owners lodging an appeal with York Magistrates Court.

An appeal hearing was due to take place on Friday next week but will not go ahead after committee members agreed to new licensing rules at a meeting today.

Speaking at the meeting, Paul Kinsey, the owner of Kings Club, told councillors that he and dancers themselves ensured they do not drink excessively “because drunk girls don’t earn money”.

He said:

“The dancers are all there to earn money and they themselves realise that actually they are not there to drink.

“They are very self aware they don’t want to be drunk because drunk girls don’t earn money.”

Mr Kinsey also gave reassurances that dancers are escorted to a safe mode of transport at the end of their shifts, as his legal representative Paddy Whur argued an alcohol ban would “simply finish the business” due to dancers not wanting to work.

Mr Whur said:

“We do want dancers to have the opportunity to have a drink with the customers. That is something that has always happened here. It happens in every venue nationally of this type.

“Quite often customers will go into the premises and they don’t even want to be dancing. They will buy a drink for a dancer and sit and talk to them.

“You wouldn’t get dancers coming to work here if they weren’t allowed to socialise.”

Mr Whur also said the venue “wouldn’t get the quality of girls that we want” if payments to dancers had to be made through bank transfer.

He added:

“A lot of dancers will not work here if they have to be paid in BACS – they want the money when they finish their shift and that is for a variety of reasons.

“We do keep a very clear audit trail of who has paid what and when. Everything is done properly.”

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In September, councillors raised concerns over the safety of dancers after they heard how council officers inspected the venue in 2019 and found some panic alarms in dancing booths were not working correctly, although they were repaired the same day.

Councillors were also told the venue had been in “cahoots” with two former dancers over payments, although this was dismissed by legal representatives at the time.

It was agreed by councillors today that the venue’s new sexual entertainment licence would be renewed with the ban on dancers drinking alcohol and need for them to be paid by bank transfer removed.

The new conditions will be added to existing licensing rules, which include no physical contact between dancers and customers, no photography, no throwing of money and no use of sex toys.

The sexual entertainment licence covers topless pole dancing, topless stage striptease and full nudity lap dancing, and is separate to the venue’s alcohol and premises licence.

Harrogate strip club in standoff with council over sex entertainment licence

The owners of Harrogate’s only strip club are in a legal standoff with the council over how dancers should be paid and whether they can drink alcohol.

The Kings Club had its sexual entertainment licence renewed at a private meeting of Harrogate council’s sub-licensing committee in September.

The licence covers topless pole dancing, topless stage striptease and full nudity lap dancing, and is separate to the venue’s alcohol licence.

But conditions that dancers are paid by bank transfer and do not drink alcohol were attached after councillors raised concerns over their safety.

This led to an appeal being lodged by the Oxford Street venue owners, who also applied for a new licence, which is set to be decided at another meeting of Harrogate Borough Council‘s licensing sub-committee on Wednesday.

With an appeal hearing at York Magistrates Court on May 28 looming, a report to Wednesday’s meeting said the venue has proposed new conditions “in an attempt to resolve the current appeal without the time and costs associated with the determination by the magistrates court”.

Councillors have been recommended to approve these conditions, which include a ban on dancers bringing alcohol onto the premises only and a “full audit trail/reconciliation account” for how they are paid.

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In September, councillors heard how officers inspected the venue in 2019 when it was found some panic alarms in dancing booths were not working correctly, although they were repaired the same day.

They also heard how the venue had been in “cahoots” with two former dancers over payments, although this was dismissed by legal representatives for the owners.

This is according to a report, which also said dancers are required to pay a ‘house fee’ of £25 per night and receive 70% of payments from customers.

There is also a reduction in fees for dancers if they are intoxicated whilst with a customer or refuse to pole dance, the report added.

Safety concerns for dancers

After reviewing the venue’s safety procedures, including risk assessments and CCTV, the report said councillors still had “concerns about the overall safety of the dancers” despite reassurances by the owners.

The report added councillors felt it was “necessary” to put extra conditions in place, also including no drugs allowed on the premises, a need for each dancer to be escorted to a safe mode of transport when they leave, a written record of all fines imposed on dancers and a code of conduct.

These conditions have all been carried forward by the venue owners in their new application, however, they have challenged the alcohol ban for dancers and need for payments to be done by bank transfer.

Kings Club was contacted for comment but did not respond at the time of publication.

All strip clubs have been closed since March 2020 and are due to reopen on 21 June when all social distancing measures are scheduled to end under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

Harrogate strip club granted licence renewal

Harrogate Borough Council has renewed the sexual entertainment licence of the town’s Kings Club.

Kings Club, on Oxford Street, which is the town’s only strip club, has been given permission to continue topless pole dancing, topless stage strip tease and full nudity lap dancing.

The borough council’s licensing committee met on Wednesday to make the decision.

Councillors dealt with the application in private session. But the authority confirmed that the licence was renewed with conditions.

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The government closed all clubs in March and has not yet given them the green light to reopen. This licence renewal is a sign that Kings Club is confident in its return after a few difficult months.

When the Kings Club closed it said that it will reopen as soon as possible to “restart the party”. The club added in its announcement:

“We are grateful to the government for the financial support they have so far offered which will soften the financial blow for our staff and management. We look forward to the party of the decade when we return.”

Harrogate strip club applies for new sex entertainment licence

Harrogate Borough Council is set to decide on the renewal of a sexual entertainment licence for the town’s only strip club.

Kings Club, Oxford Street, needs permission to continue its topless pole dancing, topless stage strip tease and full nudity lap dancing.

It is separate to the strip club’s alcohol licence, which will not be affected when the council meets next week to decide on the application.

The government closed all clubs in March and has not yet given them the green light to reopen. This licence renewal is a sign that Kings Club is confident in its return after a few difficult months.

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Harrogate council’s licensing sub-committee will meet on September 17 to grant or refuse the licence renewal.

When the Kings Club closed it said that it will reopen as soon as possible to “restart the party”. The club added in its announcement:

“We are grateful to the government for the financial support they have so far offered which will soften the financial blow for our staff and management. We look forward to the party of the decade when we return.”