The former Farmhouse building at the bottom of Dover Street in Canterbury

by Alex Claridge

A lap-dancing club could soon be opening in Canterbury.

Called The Bing and in the former Farmhouse building at the bottom of Dover Street, the operators promise an "upmarket venue" open until 3am at weekends.

They have submitted an application for a sex entertainment venue to Canterbury City Council.

Businessman Trevor Tophill, 59, of Old Dover Road, is not convinced by the plan.

"if it’s upmarket and doesn’t attract an undesirable element, then i can’t see what the problem is..." - resident steve parmenter

He said: "I suppose it's better for the building to be used than not used.

"They tried this sort of thing before in Canterbury and it didn't work. The city is just not seedy enough.

"But really they should knock the old pub down and replace it with flats, which we need."

The Farmhouse, which had been run by the organisers of the annual Lounge on the Farm festival, closed in September after a dispute over rents and has sat empty and boarded-up since.

Operators of The Bing want it to open from 8pm to 1am Sundays to Thursdays and from 8pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

IT manager Steve Parmenter, also from Old Dover Road, is not opposed to lap-dancing club near his home.

The 34-year-old said: "If it's upmarket and doesn't attract an undesirable element, then I can't see what the problem is.

"As long as it's all legal and above board, then it's not going to be any worse than a bunch of students making a noise in the road or pub with loud live music.

"I'm not a prude and the fact that women are taking their clothes off makes no difference to me. I'm sure the activities there will be policed properly."

The building – which over the years has been called Gators, Fat Piggies, Buddy Allen's and Bar Extreme – is owned by Enterprise Inns.

The application is due to be heard by the council's licensing committee in May.

Larissa Reed, the council's head of neighbourhood services, said: "The council will consider the proposal under its approved sex encounter venue and sex establishment policy."