Iconic Soho strip club near primary school faces fight to renew sex licence as residents object

The Windmill
-Credit: (Image: Google)


An iconic striptease venue in Soho is fighting to renew its sex licence after objectors said it was located too close to a primary school and church. The landlord of The Windmill Theatre just off Piccadilly Circus has also applied for a shadow licence, allowing them to take over operations if the current tenant is forced out or leaves, documents submitted to Westminster City Council show.

According to its website, the theatre, now known as the Windmill Soho, offers customers Michelin-star grade food and cocktail bars while they enjoy cabaret performances. The venue then transforms into a nightclub after 11pm, and the application states that it offer 'full nudity striptease' between the hours of 9am and 5am Monday to Saturday and between 9am and 3am on Sunday.

The landlord, Rkw Ltd, has applied to renew its sex entertainment venue (SEV) licence with no changes to opening times but objectors say it shouldn't be allowed to. One objector said the noise created by staff and guests leaving the venue has caused 'upset and disgust' for pupils and parishioners in the area.

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The club is less than 300 feet away from Soho Parish Primary School. The objector, a parishioner of St Peter's Church, wrote: "The disruption and public nuisance the premises already causes is enough and this licence will cause further disruption, to the local community and a rise in antisocial behaviour and crime."

Another said: "As a Soho resident, I strongly reject this application. We definitely do not need any further SEV license and no further antisocial behaviour that this will bring to our neighbourhood. I have 2 kids that l need to walk to school everyday. We deal with more than enough crime and antisocial behaviour."

They claimed there are 'touts' on every corner of Soho trying to lure people into strip clubs. They said: "We do not need more pestering and intimidation."

Another claimed there was no case law allowing landlords of adult venues to apply for shadow licences. The council's own environmental health team also opposed the application for a shadow licence.

The landlord has since responded and promised to stop the shadow licence taking effect when the current licence is in operation, has expired or lapsed or been surrendered or revoked. The Windmill Theatre had its sexual entertainment venue licence refused for renewal in 2018, council documents show.

It was reinstated in 2022 after an application by Molendinum Limited and was renamed the Windmill Soho. The licence was then transferred to Immerse London Ltd. It has been operating an SEV since 2012.

Windmill Soho claims it is one of Soho's 'longest standing venues' having first opened its doors in 1931 and is owned by pub chain Greene King. Tables can cost between £33 and £83 to reserve. According to its website, the nightclub runs until 3am on Saturdays.

According to its application to the council, the Windmill Theatre offers 'full nudity entertainment' as well as stage dancing, pole and table dancing and lap dances. Westminster City Council will consider the application during a licensing meeting on Wednesday, October 2.

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