Arches told to close after police uncover ‘indecent acts’

[onyirtodd]

This weekend of all weekends this is a timely reminder.

"One of Scotland's leading arts venues has been ordered to close for six weeks after police discovered dozens of men engaged in indecent acts within a concealed area.

Strathclyde Police uncovered the incident after receiving several complaints over a number of months that "acts of public indecency" were taking place at a monthly club run at the Arches in Glasgow.

During an arranged visit to the Burly night in March this year two uniformed officers found up to 30 men "in various states of undress" and engaging in sexual activity in a corner area covered by black mesh."


http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/di ... t_acts.php

[sds]

This weekend of all weekends this is a timely reminder.

"One of Scotland's leading arts venues has been ordered to close for six weeks

One question: why?

If the "acts of indecency" were such a problem, why not arrest the people involved. Why close the venue?

[Mark N]

This weekend of all weekends this is a timely reminder.

Oh, it's Pride Glasgow right now isn't it ? I must confess I'd forgotten all about it.

[onyirtodd]

This weekend of all weekends this is a timely reminder.

"One of Scotland's leading arts venues has been ordered to close for six weeks

One question: why?

If the "acts of indecency" were such a problem, why not arrest the people involved. Why close the venue?

City of Glasgow Licensing Board is sending out a signal to other venues to step up their controls. They fired off a few warning shots some years ago when a couple of venues were experimenting with swingers' nights.

[sds]

This weekend of all weekends this is a timely reminder.

"One of Scotland's leading arts venues has been ordered to close for six weeks

One question: why?

If the "acts of indecency" were such a problem, why not arrest the people involved. Why close the venue?

City of Glasgow Licensing Board is sending out a signal to other venues to step up their controls. They fired off a few warning shots some years ago when a couple of venues were experimenting with swingers' nights.

Really? Hrm. I didn't think we were so closed-minded in the 21st century to give a damn about what other individuals did to themselves or with each other in privacy.

I still don't understand why the licensing board should care, unless there was some serious allegation of (involuntary) depravity.

[onyirtodd]

This weekend of all weekends this is a timely reminder.

"One of Scotland's leading arts venues has been ordered to close for six weeks

One question: why?

If the "acts of indecency" were such a problem, why not arrest the people involved. Why close the venue?

City of Glasgow Licensing Board is sending out a signal to other venues to step up their controls. They fired off a few warning shots some years ago when a couple of venues were experimenting with swingers' nights.

Really? Hrm. I didn't think we were so closed-minded in the 21st century to give a damn about what other individuals did to themselves or with each other in privacy.

I still don't understand why the licensing board should care, unless there was some serious allegation of (involuntary) depravity.

Whatever makes you think City of Glasgow Licensing Board operates in the 21st century?

[sds]

Whatever makes you think City of Glasgow Licensing Board operates in the 21st century?

Well, that's a moan I could have about the whole of Glasgow City Council some other time.

[onyirtodd]

Whatever makes you think City of Glasgow Licensing Board operates in the 21st century?

Well, that's a moan I could have about the whole of Glasgow City Council some other time.

If you want to know what the cooncil thinks about sex; check out their policy on Sex Shop Licensing.

"Please note that as from 1 April 2007 the current Lodging Fee is £11,710 to apply for a one year licence." (that's just to apply).


Further on "Be advised that, in the past, applications for a sex shop licence have been refused on
the grounds that the committee felt that the number of sex shops for the locality (ie.
Glasgow) should be nil."

ie you can pay your £12 grand to apply but we've already decided the answer will be NO!

[sds]

Whatever makes you think City of Glasgow Licensing Board operates in the 21st century?

Well, that's a moan I could have about the whole of Glasgow City Council some other time.

If you want to know what the cooncil thinks about sex; check out their policy on Sex Shop Licensing.

"Please note that as from 1 April 2007 the current Lodging Fee is £11,710 to apply for a one year licence." (that's just to apply).


Further on "Be advised that, in the past, applications for a sex shop licence have been refused on
the grounds that the committee felt that the number of sex shops for the locality (ie.
Glasgow) should be nil."

ie you can pay your £12 grand to apply but we've already decided the answer will be NO!

That's insane.

(But possibly also to their detriment. I mean, if they don't want guaranteed money... I guess online sales pick up a lot of the slack. Isn't this around the time that the Evening Times posts a story on how GCC is forcing jobs out of Glasgow?)

[maccoinnich]

I'm no lawyer - but is this illegal? And if not, why have they had their licence revoked? It's hard to consider it 'public' indecency, when it was at a private venue, for which people had paid money to get into, and any activity sexual activity was, in any case, "in a corner area covered by black mesh". We're not talking the middle of Buchanan Street here.

But really, what a contrived moral outrage. Plenty of nightclubs in other countries have 'darkrooms' where consenting adults can get up to whatever they want. Hell, parts of my Time Out Guide to Berlin read like they were written by the Marquis de Sade.

[tedmaul]

Further on "Be advised that, in the past, applications for a sex shop licence have been refused on
the grounds that the committee felt that the number of sex shops for the locality (ie.
Glasgow) should be nil."

ie you can pay your £12 grand to apply but we've already decided the answer will be NO!

Why is there two (possibly three) round the Barras area, then?

[onyirtodd]

Further on "Be advised that, in the past, applications for a sex shop licence have been refused on
the grounds that the committee felt that the number of sex shops for the locality (ie.
Glasgow) should be nil."

ie you can pay your £12 grand to apply but we've already decided the answer will be NO!

Why is there two (possibly three) round the Barras area, then?

I suppose it's possible that they're unlicensed. I don't know the ins and outs of what stock they carry or whether it's any more adult than the pish sold in Ann Summers shop the length and breadth of the country.