Elegance lapdancing club seeks transfer to Southsea's Albert Road

Elegance in Granada Road, wants to move into the former Southsea Conservative Club in an effort to attract more customers.

It comes after its initial request to Portsmouth City Council in 2014 was thrown out by its planning committee as members believed it was the wrong area to bring the sexual entertainment venue.

Elegance owner Paul Ojla, who also runs Wiggle strip club in Surrey Street, Landport, believes now is the ‘right time’ to move the Granada Road venue.

His previous application included plans for a bar on the ground floor, with the lap dancing club being above.

That’s now been altered so a shop is on the lower floor.

But critics are still not happy.

Lib Dem councillor Suzy Horton, who represents Central Southsea, said: ‘I still don’t agree with it.

‘I just don’t think it’s the right area.

‘Where the other one is, it’s a bit more discreet.

‘For me, it’s still a no. The area is changing and attracting more independent shops

‘Albert Road has brought in Creatiques, and that is award-winning.

‘It would also be very 
close to Craneswater Junior School.

‘Parents would be aware of it opening up near to their children’s school, which wouldn’t be the best message.’

Cllr Donna Jones, Tory council leader, also raised concerns over the first application.

She said: ‘The application needs to be looked at very seriously.

‘This has been rejected before as it didn’t reflect local businesses and their wishes and needs for the area.

‘It wouldn’t be adding to the local area and Albert Road.

‘It would be much better to have a businesses operating there that compliments the businesses around it.’

But Mr Ojla said: ‘It would be good for the area because we would be creating employment. We want to relocate the business from Granada Road to Albert Road as it is more of a commercial area.

‘At the moment, we are in the middle of a residential area. There is demand.

‘It’s the right time to move.

‘The area we are in declined because of the shutting of the other bars and clubs on the seafront.

‘If they hadn’t of closed, we wouldn’t want to be moving.’