The former Royal British Legion premises in Orchard Street, Newport. Picture by Robin Crossley.
A NUDE pole-dancing club is being planned for the former Newport Royal British Legion premises.
The venue at 34 Orchard Street are opposite Nodehill Middle School and the licence for Club Phoenix is being applied for by a serving Albany prison officer.
The scheme has already got the conditional green light from Newport Parish Council’s licensing and planning committee and must now go before the IW Council’s licensing committee.
The venue is close to Nodehill Middle School and The Studio, which hosts youth discos.
The application says Club Phoenix will include full nudity, striptease, pole and burlesque dancing, drag and comedy acts and music, to be performed from 8pm to 2am each day. It could sell alcohol from 10am.
Horrified Nodehill Middle headteacher David Morris, who knew nothing of the plan until contacted by the County Press, said he was concerned the school was not consulted.
"I am gobsmacked and appalled by this. I cannot think of a more inappropriate place to have this kind of club," said Mr Morris.
"I am concerned by the clientele it would attract. I will be making the parents aware of it in our newsletter, write a letter of objection to the council and attend the licensing meeting."
The venue was used by the Royal British Legion as a social club until it closed in June. The application, submitted by prison officer David Parkman, goes before the IW Council’s licensing committee on November 19.
Newport RBL president Ray Flux said: "I am shocked by the proposal and at the location. Opposite a school is totally inappropriate."
Mr Parkman was unavailable for comment.
Robin Hamilton, who co-owns the venue with his wife and Island magistrate, Carol Hamilton, said he was prepared to consider selling or leasing it to any interested party to balance the books and would have no objection to it being run as a pole dancing club, provided it was legal.
Mr Hamilton said the child safety issue was a red herring and the club would not affect children in any way.
Newport parish councillor Jackie Hawkins, who opposed the application, said: "People across the Island, let alone Newport, will be up in arms about this. It’s degrading to women.
"To have something like this in Newport is very worrying."