Town lap dancing club backed

Greek restaurant Stelgreco, in Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury, has been granted permission for a change of use to a restaurant, wine bar and private members' nightclub.

And it has emerged that the restaurant received approval from Shropshire Council last month for a new premises licence which also allows it to stage occasional lap dances.

Carol Foster, licensing team leader for the Central area at Shropshire Council, said that the application had initially raised concerns from West Mercia Police.

But she said that after applicant Stelios Kakkindiris agreed to a number of strict conditions, officers used delegated powers to approve the licence without the need for a committee to decide.

Mr Kakkindiris was in London and unavailable for comment today.

Mrs Foster said the new licence also allows for the sale of alcohol, provision of hot food, regulated entertainment, live and recorded music, plays and films.

Licensable activities will be able to take place between 11am and 4am Monday to Saturday, with people off the premises by 5am.

The private members' club will be known as Eden Club Ltd and will have up to 250 members. The changes to the restaurant could create up to 16 jobs.

Mrs Foster said: "The application has gone through and it's got a number of conditions relating to how they are going to comply with the four licensing objectives, one of which is the membership cards issued in line with private members' clubs.

"The application does give the management the right to put on limited lap dancing. No persons under 18 will be allowed into the premises on those occasions. It's been heavily conditioned."

Andrew Wagner, Shrewsbury Town councillor, today said it was a "worrying" development.

A planning statement for Eden Club Ltd says: "The members-only nightclub in the evenings will be restricted to persons over the age of 25 who will be vetted prior to having their memberships approved."

By Russell Roberts