Southport swingers: Police asked to take action

Oct 13 2007

SOUTHPORT MP John Pugh last night called on Merseyside’s chief constable to close down a new “swingers” night that he fears will damage the resort’s regeneration.

Liberal Democrat Mr Pugh is mounting a legal campaign to stop the event, which will introduce couples who want to swap partners for sex, due to be held later this month.

He fears it could discourage families from visiting the seaside town. where politicians and businesses are attempting to create a “classic resort” environment.

Mr Pugh wrote to Chief Constable Bernard Hogan Howe outlining cases where police forces have put blocks on similar “parties” – including one called the Sex Maniacs’ Ball in London, and another called Club Whiplash.

He said licensing experts at Sefton council were powerless to help because “swinging” is not covered by licensing laws.

But he believes officers may have powers to crack down on businesses that make a profit from organising sexual activity, under the Sexual Offences Act.

Around 200 to 300 people are expected to pay an entrance fee to attend the Halloween-themed fancy dress launch of the Thrills and Spills swingers’ club at the Victoria pub on Southport Promenade, on October 27.

American promoter Joe Bleacher has previously staged “ice-cream wrestling” events for stag and hen parties in Blackpool. He is unrepentant about bringing swinging to Southport, saying the resort has “moved forward”, and already has a pole dancing bar and an adult shop.

But Mr Pugh fears such activities could lower the tone of the resort.

He wrote to Mr Hogan Howe: “Apart from the tacky and unwholesome nature of such events, they imperil the image of Southport as a quality, family leisure resort and there is a case for claiming that there are legitimate public interest objections.”

Mr Pugh detailed a series of events that had been closed down, including the garden of Eden Club in Pembroke in 1998, and London’s Club Whiplash in 1994.

“According to the Libertarian Alliance ‘Chief Constables have the legal tools to clamp down on swingers’ by which I assume they mean the commercial organisation of ‘swinging’,” he added.

“Their view may not be authoritative but given the public concern and level of objection, can I request that the Police examine previous interventions and consider whether effective action can be taken in this case, given the current state of statute and case law.”

Promoter Joe Bleacher last night said he was “disappointed” with Mr Pugh’s stance and said: “I think he should be campaigning for more resources to combat violence in our night-time economy – that’s what’s keeping people out of Southport.

“We are not encouraging people to have sex in public – it is an event organised for like minded people to meet.

“What they then do behind closed doors is entirely their own business.

“We are bringing people into the resort, and they are hard-working professionals and taxpayers and they are families.

“I think John Pugh has an outdated view of what modern families in the UK do in their leisure time.”

Yesterday the Daily Post revealed a new venue is to begin staging similar events in Liverpool, joining an already established event in Wirral.

A Merseyside police spokeswoman said: “We have not yet received the correspondence. The Chief Constable will consider his response once he’s read the letter.”

No-one was available to comment from Sefton Council.