Licensing of sex establishments

The Police and Crime Act 2009 provides additional regulatory powers to Local Authorities in respect of sex establishments. The council adopted the provisions of the amended legislation in order to regulate all sex establishments. The decision to adopt the legislation was made in December 2010.

The change in the law means the following adult entertainment venues are included in the classification of a 'sex establishment'

• lap dancing
• pole dancing
• strip tease
• other similar activities
  

Sex Establishment Licensing Policy

Although not a mandatory requirement, we have created a Sex Establishment Licensing Policy. This sets out how applications for all sex establishments will be administered, monitored and enforced. This will guide prospective applicants, residents and decision makers about the application process and the expectations of the council. It includes advice on where applications may be refused and what statutory grounds the council may refuse or grant an application.

In line with government guidelines, this Policy was publicly consulted on for three months between December 2010 and March 2011. It was approved along with standard licence conditions for each type of sex establishment. A further review made additional minor changes. The current version can be found below.

A decision was made to adopt a 'Zero' Policy across parts of the town centre area. This includes:

• the main night and day time economy area
• the area awarded the Purple Flag
• areas of Basing View that have been earmarked for development and regeneration.

This means that applications for sex establishments within those areas are likely to be refused.

The policy also sets out specific areas where applications for sex establishments are unlikely to be granted. This includes:

• close to schools
• places of worship
• if a premises is located within a conservation area.

We recommend you read the entire policy before making an application for a sex establishments licence.

Applications for sex establishments licences are unlikely to be considered acceptable in areas deemed to be within inappropriate proximity to:

• A place of religious worship/education
• A pre-school facility
• A higher education campus
• Any residential accommodation
• An enclosed shopping Mall, Arcade or centre
• A market
• A public building open to the general public
• A community meeting place
• A community leisure facility
• Gateway to an identifiable locality
• A location where children may be at risk but not previously referred to above
• A conservation area within the meaning of the Town and Country Planning Acts

If you require any information regarding Licensing of Sex Establishments, contact the Licensing Team.

Consultation on the draft Sex Establishment policy

We are consulting on proposed updates to its Sex Establishment policy. We would like to hear your thoughts on the proposals and any impacts or alternative suggestions you would like us to consider. Now is your opportunity to have your say.

The council is consulting widely on its draft policy, which is available to view below.

Sex Establishments Policy 2025(PDF) [2 Mb]

Any person who wishes to make observations or comments on the document should write or email licensing team for the attention of Emma Coles by 5pm on 27 April 2025.

By post or hand delivered to:

Licensing, FAO: Emma Coles, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH