Strippers protest at job centre

Strippers protest after a job advertisement is withdrawn

A stripogram company which was refused permission to advertise for staff at job centres has staged a protest in Belfast.

Under current regulations job centres in Northern Ireland cannot display advertisements for staff to fill positions for strippers.

A job advertisement for dancers was recently removed by staff at Gloucester House job centre in Belfast, as they thought the wording was inappropriate.

Geoff Dowey who runs Angel Promotions, the firm which placed the advertisement, said they were told there had been numerous complaints over the wording, and the advertisements were subsequently withdrawn.

Traditionally everybody applies for dancers when they are looking for kissograms, because there is a lot of dancing involved in the show Geoff Dowey Angel Promotions

But he said when people had phoned about the jobs, he told them exactly what was involved.

"I said I was looking for drivers and dancers, they had to be over 18 and full training would be given," he said.

"I said it was dancing in the kissogram field.

"Traditionally everybody applies for dancers when they are looking for kissograms, because there is a lot of dancing involved in the show. We were not purposefully trying to deceive anybody."

He prepared a second advertisement, being specific that the company was in fact seeking strippers.

But he added: "The department then told me they would not be placing the ad because it had the potential to bring the department into disrepute."

Mr Doey said his company now had to rely on "pot luck" to recruit staff.

Vacancies displayed at job centres have to meet guidelines drawn up by the Department for Employment and Learning.

In a statement, the DEL said all vacancies to job centres had to meet certain requirements.

"In this instance and in light of DEL's policy we decided not to accept this particular vacancy. The current vacancies are being reviewed."

In June, the High Court in London decided the Ann Summers sex shop chain could advertise for staff in job centres.