A PUB has come under fire for putting on raunchy tea-time strip shows just yards from Blackburn town cen-tre's pedetrianised shopping area.

The Baroque pub, close to a toy shop in Northgate, launched its new 6pm shows after being given a licence by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Traders and councillors have accused licensing chiefs of keeping them in the dark and said the event made a mockery of the council's quest for a cafe culture. The council said it could not turn down the appli-cation because no objec-tions were made when notices were displayed in May.

The pub's application makes little reference to the adult entertainment, simply listing the strip show as "exotic dancing".

But one member of the bar staff at the pub, which plans to hold shows every few weeks, told customers that the first performance, 11 days ago, was "a bit extreme."

Police said they have received no official complaints surrounding the venue, which is subject to strict conditions.

The striptease shows can be put on at anytime during opening hours on Monday to Saturday and between 2pm and midnight on Sunday - on the condition all curtains are drawn and there are no children present 30 minutes before and after the performances.

Leading the protests, leader of the Tory opposition on Blackburn with Darwen Council, Colin Rigby said: "If it was in private members club, only open late at night, that would be one thing. My view is quite simply that there is no place for strip shows bang in the middle of the town centre - it does very little for our image.

"I do have sympathy for the traders. I think the licensing committee need another look at this, it does seem a strange decision."

Dave Baron, from Mercer & Sons toy shop - just a few doors down said: "It doesn't project a good image for us if their are strip acts on next door to our toy shop.

"We are always very busy with mums and youngsters and this is giving us some concern that the two may collide in terms of the over-lap of times. I personally was not notified of the application and we would certainly had discussions about it if I had."

And manager of sandwich shop and cafe The Refreshment Bar - also in Northgate, Allan Fish said: "We had no idea this was going on. It is not quite the image you would want but Blackburn with Darwen Council has its own ideas when it comes to that."

The council's executive member for citizen and consumer rights, Coun Dave Hollings said: "The council has no powers to refuse applications unless an objection has been received. There were no objections to this application."

Licensing officer PC Andy Duxbury said he had sympathy for the traders but the pub had followed the correct procedures.

"When they applied for their new licence they put in a clause which would allow them to have exotic dancers. They were told they must close the blinds and not allow children in 30 minutes before or after the act.

"If there was a breach of conditions we could give them strong words of advice, or we could call for a review of the licence, for which they would have to come before the licensing committee. The term exotic dancers is sufficient for the application and there isn't anywhere on the form for further details. But pubs know that lewd acts will not be tolerated.

"Unless the traders had looked in the pub window, on the council website or in the papers then they would not known about the application but that is the way it works.

"With such applications the police has to be independent and cannot go and canvas the fact the pub has applied for it or raise to a third party any concerns we may have - it is the same for the council."

Nobody from the pub was available to comment.

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