Strip Club Taxis Banned

18/01/2010

Adverts for exotic strip clubs have been banned by Scotland’s biggest city as bosses at Glasgow City Council refused to allow staff to travel in hackney cabs displaying the ads.

Deputy leader Jim Coleman, who is also chairman of Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership, sent a letter to each council department announcing the ban.

He said: "We do not believe the council should be endorsing this advertising.  We’ve taken a strong stance against this industry, which we believe to be a form of commercial sexual exploitation.  From now on, no council department will use a taxi with this advertising on."

Glasgow has four major lap-dancing venues and adverts for Spearmint Rhino, Diamond Dolls and Seventh Heaven appear on several taxis.  Spearmint Rhino, the world's biggest lap-dancing chain, opened their first Scots venue in Glasgow last April.  Councillors already banned them from calling their venue a 'gentlemen's club' in taxi adverts, saying 'true gentlemen' wouldn't go there.