Town’s fury over Lord’s lap dancing club plan
| Posted: June 24, 2012
Jennie Sewell
The businessman looking to open a lap dancing club in a market town has likened himself to ‘Walt Disney’ who wants to bring ‘magic’ to people’s lives.
Lord John Shayler submitted the application on June 15 to Central Bedfordshire Council for a Sexual Entertainment Licence in Church Street, Ampthill. The proposal has caused outrage in the town with residents describing it as a ‘wind-up’ but Lord Shayler has blasted Ampthillfolk as ‘old fashioned’ and that he’s not opening the club for the people of the town but for himself.
Lord Shayler who had previously ran a café and restaurant at the location said he’s hoping to bring a ‘Coyote Ugly vibe’ to town. If granted the premises will be open from 7pm-12.30am Monday to Wednesday and then 7pm-1.30am Thursday to Saturday.
It’s not the first time residents have been up in arms over a business. In January, tattoo studio Planet 13 in Dunstable Street was on the receiving end of a poison letter campaign by an aggrieved local who described the shop as ‘not in keeping with the town.’ Lord Shayler, who is also involved with a lapdancing club called ‘Junction 9’ in Dunstable, said: “Like Walt Disney I want to create that Disney World bubble where people turn up miserable and leave with a smile on their face.
“I want to bring a bit of magic to people’s lives. The residents of Ampthill are all prepared to haul me over the coals before they’ve even heard my plans.
“It’s something I’ve been considering for 18 months and anyone who asked me what I’m doing with the place in that time would have heard me say ‘I’m opening up a lap dancing club’ but it will be more like Coyote Ugly.
“The reason I’m opening up in Ampthill is because my building is there.
“If it’d been Luton I’d open it there and the same with Bedford. There aren’t going to be naked woman walking around Market Square.
“Anything like that will be in the basement of the club and you would have to pay for the privilege. I’m not opening this for the people of Ampthill I’m opening it for me.”
Jennie Sewell who lives in the same street as the proposed club said: “He says he wants some Disney World experience – what are we going to have, Minnie Mouse stripping off? “I think someone is having a laugh.You can’t take things like this seriously. The opening hours are as late as 1.30am and that’s an issue in itself.
“I didn’t even think there was a market for lapdancing in Ampthill.” Residents have until July 14 to give their representation to the council regarding the application.
6 comments
I don't know why folks are so vitriolic about this when Ampthill has its own micro sex industry already there been a lady advertising services on adultwork under the name of tigger who works from a residential street 39 Russell Drive she seems to keep busy selling sex in the area so there's obviously a local market for these services
LOL.. Mr Barry Lee a Parisian style Restaurant ??. perhaps you should have voiced this a while back, the premises were available to rent, or were you hoping that someone else would be prepared to spend vast amounts of money and interior design for you and other residents to admire as you simply passed on by whilst keeping your wallet firmly closed !!, the shops that are still operating in Ampthill are mainly run by bolder and braver people living outside Ampthill who are prepared to take a chance on the economy and thank goodness don't have to rely on passing trade to keep in business...
Shaynor's application granted! I have just witnessed at first hand the workings of local government where a group of counsellors from outside the Ampthill community ruled that a sex entertainment establishment be imposed on that community clearly against the wishes of the community. Even more worrying than the granting of the licence was the evidence of bad laws being applied which takes no account of those people being immediately effected. It was a shameful judgement even if it was legal. The law should protect the community and not allow an enterprise such as this to run roughshod over the feelings of Ampthill residents. Shameful! Was it significant that the only supporters of the application in the room were Hell's Angels?
The bloke is a dirty old man, it's disgusting and neither Mickey or me will be applying for a job!! :)
This bloke is on another planet - since when did Walt Disney specialise in lap dancing clubs?? isn't Disney world a family theme park? Maybe Lord Shayler is confused with Hugh Hefner and the playboy mansion?
I would have to agree with many of the Town Folk, that a Establishment such as this , would not be in keeping with Ampthill, and its historical backdrop. with such a prime location in the town, and the right planning and investment. i could see a quality Parisian style Resturaunt. 1900 circa. I am sure that it would make its mark on the Bedfordshire Map.