Link to Bristol City Council consultation on a nil cap on SEVs (deadline 19th Dec)

[Notahandmaid]

Hi all
After 7 years of dithering, BCC is finally reviewing its 10 year old SEV policy and a proposal for a nil cap has been put forward by a working group of councillors.

If you would like to respond to the consultation, the link is here:

www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/BristolSexEstablishmentPolicy2021/

If, like me, you would like to see a nil cap in the city, i.e. the two premises that are strip clubs would lose their SEV licence but would still be operate as a bar/cafe/nightclub, there is some guidance here:

bit.ly/citySEV

One SEV, Lounge@30, closed some years ago and then operated as a successful tapas bar for years (was even used as a film location for the Netflix series, 'The One'). I believe it's now changed hands - but much nicer to have a venue that all can go to.

I'm sure that there will be some people checking in the feminism section that don't have a problem with the SEVs. In which case, feel free to fill out the consultation a different way!

That was easy and with doing. Thanks for sharing OP.

Thank you @OhHolyJesus

The pro SEV lobby are out in force and we need people who don't want SEVs in their city to make their voices heard. The mayor, all 4 Bristol MPs and the Police & Crime Commissioner are all in favour of a nil cap, which is good news, but the ultimate decision is up to the licensing committee (and they may vote to keep the status quo).

What reasoning do the licensing committee give? Obviously there are covid concerns as well as the basic respect of women not being commodified, so I wonder what argument they would give to say the existing SEVs should stay and more should be added.

I remembered this from Sheffield.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-54527355

Each year the licensing committee are advised by the QC who helped write the SEV legislation when it was introduced. He literally wrote the book on sex licensing. The clubs employ him to act on their behalf and I think it's fair to say that the licensing committee are intimidated by him.

They always say that there are no grounds to turn down the licences even though there are multiple grounds in terms of location and many people, including the church which is a few doors away from one of the clubs, object every year. If the QC was acting against the clubs, he would have persuaded the licensing committee to remove the licences years ago!

That was great news about Sheffield.

Thanks for linking to this

Thanks to those who have completed the consultation. I wanted to bump it up again as the deadline is on the 19th December.

Consultation guidance and link above.

We've waited 7 years in Bristol for this policy review. The council have delayed and delayed it.

Thanks for your support.

Bump

Thank you for bumping @Redshoeblueshoe

You're welcome notahandmaid

Last day today! Just bumping this back up. Quick to do with the guidance.

Thanks everyone!