Sheffield's Spearmint Rhino strip club licence up for renewal

The city centre club, on Brown Street, has operated for 17 years - offering lap dances, strip tease and pole dancing.

Every year, Sheffield Council's licensing committee is required to reassess its licence.

Ahead of the last hearing, strippers opened up about the struggle to keep the venue's licence and said conditions had become stricter each year, which they felt was an effort to 'squeeze them out'.

Last year's hearing was postponed until September after an investigation was launched into a secretly filmed video which showed dancers sexually touching customers - in breach of the licence.

The council heard ex-police officers had been paid to record the footage which campaigners used to try to shut the club.

In the meantime, hundreds of people wrote to the council about the issue and some held protests.

In total, there were 389 written objections and 363 in support, as well as a petition with about 1,000 signatures calling for the club to stay open.

When the hearing did go ahead, the licence was granted, despite the inquiry finding six dancers had sexually touched each other and engaged in other sex acts between themselves, there were 74 breaches of the licensing conditions and 145 breaches of the club's code of conduct.

Now, Not Buying It, an anti-porn and sex trade group, is encouraging people to once again to send comments opposing the club.

The venue is currently closed due to restrictions in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The council is able to do licensing meetings via video, although Coun Douglas Johnson, substitute committee member and leader of the Green Party, said Spearmint Rhino’s hearing could be postponed until a face-to-face meeting can be held.

People have until May 27 to make any written representations.

The latest council inspection, at the end of 2019, found dancers ‘touching and hugging’ customers in what was described as a 'minor breach' of licensing rules.

The council also recently proposed a ban on sex venues in the city - unless in exceptional circumstances - but deferred the ‘zero limit’ policy for more research.

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