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Aberdeen strip club refused plea to cut bouncers due to fears for safety of dancers

Bugsy Brown's wanted to reduce their security staff from two to one during "extremely quiet" weekday evenings.

Bugsy Brown's on Windmill Brae. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson
Bugsy Brown's on Windmill Brae. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

An Aberdeen strip club has had its request to have just one bouncer on during weeknights refused over fears the change could put dancers at risk of harm.

The owners of Bugsy Brown’s on Windmill Brae had asked for two tweaks to its sexual entertainment licence.

They wanted to cut their security staff from two to one during “extremely quiet” weekday evenings where they can see between six to 10, usually older, customers on average.

A sign outside the Windmill Brae strip club. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

But, the venue would continue to have the standard two bouncers on busier Friday and Saturday nights, where they tend to welcome up to 40 guests.

Solicitor argued Aberdeen strip club has too much security

The matter went before the council’s licensing committee this week.

Speaking on behalf of the club, solicitor Neil Fraser argued that the venue was “very compact”.

He explained: “Essentially security staff in that door entrance area are on the floor of the premises anyway.

“If there are door staff that are just inside the premises then effectively they are providing security on the floor at the same time, or the reverse.”

Neil Fraser, solicitor from Raeburn, Christie, Clarke and Wallace. Image: Alastair Gossip/DC Thomson

But Mr Fraser told the committee that the club’s low attendance figures were behind the request and suggested the venue had an “overprovision” of security.

On Tuesdays, for instance, he explained that this could dip to as low as just six customers on average.

He added: “The customer base here is not in the 18 to 25 category where perhaps we would be a bit more concerned about provision of large numbers of staff.

“It’s a very well-run premises of mature clientele in general.”

Police against the rule change

But the police objected as they believed it would go against licensing rules which aim to prevent crime, disorder and public nuisance, and importantly, keep everyone safe.

PC Gary Forbes raised concerns over the idea of having just one member of security staff at the club from Sunday through to Thursday.

The Bugsy Brown’s club in Aberdeen. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

He believed granting the change would put the safety of dancers at risk.

And the officer suggested other strip clubs in the city would try and ask for the same changes, putting their performers in danger.

What did Aberdeen councillors have to say about Bugsy Brown’s plea?

Councillor Ken McLeod also raised his concern for the dancers at the Windmill Brae venue.

“If security staff were called to an incident within the premises, the entrance to the club would then be free, there would be nobody monitoring anybody coming in,” he said.

“Let’s take a scenario where 20 people decided to go on a Tuesday.

“You’ve got one member of staff who’s monitoring the door, you’ve got nobody inside the premises and vice versa.”

But Mr Fraser was confident that wouldn’t be the case.

He responded: “My client would be delighted if that level of custom showed up but it doesn’t, hence the variation application.”

Following debate, the committee unanimously agreed to refuse the licence change.


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