A LAP dancing club in York has had its licence renewed despite an objection by police.

Black Orchid in Toft Green applied to City of York Council’s Gambling, Licensing and Regulatory Committee for its licence to be renewed, and a decision meeting was held on Monday.

The request called for the opening hours to include early opening on York Racecourse race days - from 6pm rather than the usual 9pm - which North Yorkshire Police had objected to.

However, the meeting at West Offices heard that the club was already operating legally under these hours, and the only reason the matter had been brought up now was due to a policy introduced by the council in April 2017 which revised and standardised opening hours for sex establishments in the city.

The objection from North Yorkshire Police did not oppose the renewal of the club’s licence, but the extension of hours on York race days, and called on the committee to “adhere to their policy in not allowing sexual entertainment to take place prior to 9pm”.

Monday’s meeting heard the council had not received any recent complaints about the club, and there were no crime or disorder-related complaints.

The most recent issue raised with the council was about 18 months ago, the meeting heard, and “related to a man who went into the establishment on a stag evening with friends and came away spending more money than he expected”.

Councillor Dave Taylor said the application to renew “stands for itself”, and Councillor Ann Reid said she felt there was “even less reason to refuse if the establishment is already operating within these hours”.

Councillor Sam Lisle, chairing the meeting, said a similar objection had been raised previously by police over the renewal of Mansion’s Upstairs club after the council’s change of policy, and said police “have demonstrated no reasons why the current management is negative or has caused any problems”.

The license was renewed through a unanimous vote.