YORK'S only lap dancing club has been granted a licence by City of York councillors.

Club 55, based on the first floor of Micklegate nightclub Ziggy’s, now has permission to operate as a sexual entertainment venue for the next 12 months. It can operate as a sex establishment from 9pm-3am, Monday to Sunday, and from 6pm-4.30am on York Racecourse race days.

No objections to the renewal were received during the consultation period.

Licensing manager Lesley Cook said she visited the premises last week to speak to the owner and manager. 

She said: “They have only just recently reopened this element of the club within the last three weeks – they aren’t fully operational yet, they’re only operating a couple of the rooms.”

Ms Cook said she had advised the owner that they would have to let the council know what the design of the signage for the club was going to look like. It will consist of the Ziggy’s logo and the number 55, Ms Cook said.

She added: “So it will be nothing, hopefully, shouting ‘this is a lap dancing venue’ type signage. It’s going to be in keeping with a street such as Micklegate.”

The venue had been running as Mansion Nightclub for eight years, when the premises included lap dancing club Upstairs, but Mansion closed in 2019 after failing to renew its tenancy. Councillors on the licensing and regulatory committee voted unanimously to approve the application.