Friday 22 September 2000
Cardiff International Arena Sex Shop Licence:
No stripping and lap dancing on a Sunday

The Christian Institute has taken action against the controversial Xsensual 2000 indoor sex market to be held in the Cardiff Arena.

Legal advice obtained by the Institute was successfully used to block stripping and lap dancing on a Sunday at the Xsensual 2000 event in Newcastle. Now it has succeeded in Cardiff.

Colin Hart, Director of the Institute, said today:
"The Institute wrote to the County Council about the provisions of the 1780 Sunday Observance Act which states that you cannot pay to go and see dancing on a Sunday.

In a letter which I received today, the Council has confirmed that it agrees with our legal advice. So irrespective of whether the licensing committee grant a sex shop licence for the event, the Council will still ensure that the 1780 Act is not breached. This will ban stripping and lap dancing on the Sunday, the third and final day of the event.

Councillors have yet to consider the application for the sex shop licence. People who object to turning the Cardiff Arena into a three day sex shop can put in an objection to the Council right up until Thursday.

I know there are an awful lot of people who simply think it is wrong to hold this sort of event at a family venue like the Cardiff Arena. Many feel that it is degrading for the women who are involved in this sort of thing and demeaning for the men who feel the need to go. I hope people in Cardiff will make their objections known to the Council. I also hope they will stay away from the event in their droves as they did in Newcastle."

Ends.

Contact: Colin Hart on 0191 281 5664

Notes for Editors: The Christian Institute is a registered charity which seeks to promote the Christian faith in the UK.
Anyone who objects to turning the Cardiff Arena into a three day sex shop should write to : Mr Malcolm Evans, Head of Regulatory Services, Licensing Section, Cardiff County Council, Wood Street, CARDIFF, CF10 1NQ. Letters must arrive by Thursday 28th September at the latest. Tips for writing can be found on our website at : www.christian.org.uk