A GAY man who runs a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender venue in Worcester is backing a lap-dancing club in the city.

Lee Winters, licensee of The Flag, formerly The Brewery Tap, in Lowesmoor, Worcester, said people should get behind the Black Cherry gentleman’s club which is scheduled to open soon in the new year.

Mr Winters said trade in Lowesmoor had not been improved significantly by the opening of the Asda store in St Martin’s Quarter but the lap-dancing club, which will have 15 nude or topless dancers performing a night, could make a genuine difference.

The 42-year-old said he was “absolutely chuffed to bits” the club was opening opposite The Flag, in what used to be DNA, and that it would be run by “a switched-on and educated guy”.

“It is going to increase business and trade in Lowesmoor, which is quite a run-down area and the building itself was going to rack and ruin.

“It is going to be top notch. As a gay man it doesn’t faze me remotely.”

Mr Winters said security would be greatly improved by the introduction of security staff at Black Cherry and he would communicate with managers there via internal radios and the nightsafe system, in which businesses work together to keep the area safe.

He said: “I think Lowesmoor does need an element of class to it. It is going to look absolutely fantastic – it is not going to be seedy.

“It is going to be clean, classy, professional and almost artistic. When people get stuck in a stereotype it is very difficult to shake it. 

“We have had our own fair share of stereotypes and it is a bit disheartening sometimes. Ignorance isn’t bliss.”

Managers have offered to put on male dancers at the club on certain occasions. 

The-lap dancing club has caused controversy, with an e-petition set up by Dr David Mair, a psychotherapist who lives nearby, attracting 142 signatures from those who consider such a club as ‘insensitive and inappropriate’.

However, Mr Winters is the second business person from Lowesmoor to back the scheme after Sarah Colquitt, manager of Puss ‘N’ Pooch grooming salon urged people to support Black Cherry as it would boost businesses in an area that had been struggling with trade during the recession and following the impact of road works which had affected traffic.

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