The Licensing and Appeals Sub Committee Hearing Panel met to consider an application to renew the sexual entertainment venue licence for Long Legs, and an application for a new street trading consent on Wilmslow Road.

Long Legs

The Licensing and Appeals Sub Committee Hearing Panel was scheduled to consider an application by Sandra Chan to renew the sexual entertainment venue licence for Long Legs, in the basement of 46-46a George Street, Manchester.

The application was accompanied by an objection from a member of the public, who argued that:

SEVs market women as sexual objects for male gratification and describe women as 'girls', men pay to have women strip and dance for them, to serve and satisfy men sexually.

The objector argued that sexual entertainment venues should be more tightly regulated, citing two successful legal challenges against Sheffield City Council for its approach to licensing them.

The report prepared for the councillors on the committee summarised the council's policy in this area:

Sex establishments will not normally be licensed near to: • housing; • schools, play areas, nurseries or children’s centres; • family shopping or leisure areas; • places of worship; • historic buildings or tourist attractions; • other places where relevant entertainment takes place; • other sensitive uses that may be relevant e.g. women’s hostel; where the proximity to such uses is likely to be considered by the Council to be inappropriate in having regard to the character of the relevant locality and the use to which any premises in the vicinity are put.

The report reminded councillors that they had the power to add additional conditions to the licence, noting that:

The Council has adopted standard conditions in respect of sexual entertainment venues, which will apply to all respective licences granted, unless such conditions have been expressly excluded or varied.

The report included the current licence for Long Legs, as well as its premises licence, which was last varied in October 2020.

Darren's Catering Unit 2 (Spice Hut)

The Licensing and Appeals Sub Committee Hearing Panel was also scheduled to consider an application by Darren's Catering for a street trading consent to operate from a layby on Wilmslow Road in Manchester.

The meeting papers do not say what kind of food Darren's Catering Unit 2 planned to sell, or whether any objections were received in relation to the application.