Spearmint Rhino strip club in Sheffield applies to renew licence

Spearmint Rhino, on Brown Street in the city centre, wants to continue operating as a sexual entertainment venue, offering lap dancing, pole dancing and stage strip tease, with 24/7 permitted opening hours.

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Its application was received by Sheffield Council on April 29 and people have until May 27 to make any written representations.

Sex venues must apply each year to renew their licence, and last year Spearmint Rhino faced major opposition after an undercover video showed ‘sexual touching of customers’ which was banned under the terms of its licence.

The club was ultimately allowed to keep its licence, despite a council enquiry finding 74 breaches of the licensing conditions, following an eight-hour hearing last September.

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The Women’s Equality Party had opposed the renewal but strippers working at the venue campaigned for it to remain open.

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

The rules state that there should be no physical contact between performer and customer except for a customary kiss on the cheek at the end of a dance.

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Sheffield Council has proposed a ban on new sex venues, other than in exceptional circumstances, but a decision on this ‘zero limit’ policy was deferred earlier this year with councillors saying they needed to see more research.