Should sex establishments be banned in our towns?

A public consultation has been launched this week.

The council says it is keen to update its policy on the licensing of strip clubs, sex shops and sex cinemas, after residents across the whole of Central Beds recently expressed their concerns about sexual entertainment venues.

An outcry followed the approval of a strip club in Ampthill last year. The sex shop off the A1 near Sandy currently has a licence. But The Vanilla Alternative, a swingers’ club in Tempsford, does not need a licence because the activity is “non-licensable.”

The new policy would ban licenses for sex establishments within 500m of schools and nurseries, areas frequented by children and families, residential areas, parks or recreational areas used by under 16s, areas frequented by vulnerable adults, areas associated with family leisure and retail, community buildings, places of religious worship and sites of historical or heritage value.

Complete the consultation, before Friday, August 30, at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations

You can also call 0300 300 4394 for a copy or pick one up from the council’s customer services offices.