A WORCESTER politician has launched an attack on people critical of lap dancing clubs - calling them “hypocrites and bigots”.

Councillor Alan Amos, of the Labour Party, says he has been “astonished” by some of the criticism after a businessman wanted to open an adult venue in the city.

He told a meeting of the licensing committee people in Worcester are “scared” of talking about sex and says councillors are not there to make “moral judgements” because of a “hardened minority” of people who demand they should always be refused.

It comes after a bid by businessman Ashvin Patel to open Black Cherry lap dancing club at the old Funky Club in The Butts.

Critics want it refused as it sits opposite the children-friendly Hive.

Councillor Amos said: “I’ve read some extraordinarily ignorant comments about this, including ones from the police about what people can and cannot do in these venues.

“We’ve had letters in the press about it too. All we’re getting is ignorance, hypocrisy and bigotry – people saying ‘we don’t do sex in Worcester’.”

During the meeting he voted against a public consultation over adopting the Police and Crime Act, which will allow the authority to have control over where and when future venues open.

Three years ago, the council forgot to formally adopt it, meaning it can only treat a lap dancing application as an alcohol premises licence.

After the meeting, Coun Amos said: “I have never been in one before, but the point is, it’s not my job to impose my morality on anyone else.

“If adults want to pay for that kind of entertainment that’s up to them, it’s not for politicians to stop them, this is a democracy.

“If you go into the cinema there will be children’s films and grown-up films – are we really saying if children see these grown-up films being advertised, they’ll be corrupted?

“It’s absurd. I was watching TV news the other day and they were showing dead bodies which had been gassed in Syria, that was 6pm.

“Half of all people who use the internet surf pornography, and all of a sudden we are saying we’re concerned about the affect lap dancing clubs have on children?

“If parents are really concerned, they need to exercise parental control. It’s a stupid, bigoted, hypocritical obsession by a hardened minority.”

The licensing committee has agreed a six-week consultation about accepting the legislation, after officer Niall McMenamin said the council wants “control” over them.

“You wouldn’t want rows of them in one street, or one next to a primary school,” he said.