North East and Cumbria: All good clean fun?

Damian O'Neil Political Reporter, North East and Cumbria

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Many viewers have enquired about our presenter Mary Askew. Well ... Mary is currently exploring the African continent and returns to Politics Show at the end of 2004.

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In early February 2004, local magistrates will be considering an appeal on behalf of the owners of the Newcastle nightclub, Sugar, who want to turn part of their business into a table dancing club.

Newcastle could soon have three table dancing clubs

They were refused a licence by Newcastle Council, but are hopeful that their appeal will be successful.

You could argue they have good reason to be optimistic.

In a similar case, the magistrates granted a table dancing licence to another organisation called For Your Eyes Only, after the council had refused.

The club will open on Newcastle's Dean Street and will be the second one owned by FYEO to open in the city.

Their existing club on Carliol Square already appears to do a roaring trade.

Too many?

So Newcastle could soon have three table dancing clubs. So what, you might ask?

Is it not po-faced to object to a private member's club where men pay to see girls remove their tops?

After all, you can see this sort of thing for free just about every weekend in the toon.

Wait around for long enough, and sooner or later some paralytic young man or woman will expose themselves to whoever happens to be looking at the time.

But there is no shortage of objectors. Some women's groups, as well as many individual people, see table dancing as demeaning and exploitative.

It is also seen by some as contributing to a macho, sexist culture which is perceived as both offensive and threatening.

Gay community object

In the case of the Sugar nightclub, there is another very specific reason why some people are unhappy.

It is located very close to the gay quarter of the city, and some members of the gay community feel it infringes on their ability to relax in what is generally accepted as their area.

This was one of the objections cited by the council in their refusal to grant a licence, so what will the magistrates decide?

If this second appeal is approved, what does it mean for the council's ability to run the city as it feels appropriate?

We would like to know what you think about this.

• Do you think three table dancing clubs is too much for Newcastle?
• Do you think one is enough?
• Or do you think we should all get real, and accept that they are a legitimate part of Tyneside's entertainment scene?

Politics Show North East and Cumbria

Let us know what you think. That is the Politics Show Sunday 01 February at Midday.

Watch the programme and give us your view.

Join Richard Moss and Tony Baker on the Politics Show on Sundays at midday on BBC1.

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