Plymouth sex club set to reopen under new management

THE FORMER Divas club is to reopen this weekend after being taken over by new owners.

Opening as a sex entertainment venue, the new bosses say the venue will adhere to stringent guidelines after its previous owners had their licences revoked following a police investigation.

The club is now being run by business partners Ben Elliott and Paul Drinkwater, who have renamed the venue Angels.

Mr Elliott said: "We wanted it to be a lap dance venue so we applied for the sex entertainment licence."

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The pair initially obtained an alcohol licence from Plymouth City Council which stated the venue was not to have any naked dancers unless a sex entertainment licence was granted.

They were then granted the additional licence last week and intend to open the club for the first time tonight.

"The council came back to us with a pool of possible restrictions," Mr Elliott said.

"We wanted to have the conditions to keep the council happy."

Some of the restrictions include a "three-foot rule" meaning there will be no touching between dancers and customers.

Conditions mean there will also be no cameras allowed in the premises.

All areas of the club are covered by CCTV and names of those visiting the club will also be recorded.

Another condition was that only nominated members of staff can take money – and only at the bar – to avoid complications with dancers carrying out transactions.

Since taking over the venue in June this year, more than £10,000 has been spent on refurbishments including a new bar.

Mr Elliott added: "It's a fresh start and we are hoping to get people back down Union Street and spending money in the area.

"It's looking a bit of an eyesore at the moment.

"We have a completely new set of staff and new dancers: there will not be one member of the old staff working here.

"We are looking forward to opening and instilling some faith into the customers that we operate a safe business where customers can enjoy themselves.

Mr Elliott stressed the venue would not be using age-sensitive promotional materials outside the club.

A Plymouth City Council spokeswoman confirmed the club had been granted a sex entertainments licence.