Honeypot no longer 'appropriate' for new Maidenhead neighbourhood, say developers

Flat developers in the town centre have objected to the licence renewal of a longstanding Queen Street lap dancing club.

The Honeypot Gentleman’s Club applied to the council to renew its annual sexual entertainment venue licence but is being challenged by the developers of One Maidenhead being built opposite.

Both the sexual entertainment venue and objectors were required to make representations at a licensing and public space protection order sub-committee meeting this morning (Friday).

Licensing team leader Craig Hawkings informed the panel that the licence could not be refused ‘on moral grounds or values’.

However, a licence can be refused if the council considers the premises would be ‘inappropriate to the character of the locality’.

The premises was first objected to in 2021 and again in 2022 but the licence was granted on both occasions before being automatically renewed in 2023 due to no objections being raised.

Objecting owners of One Maidenhead, Get Living and Hub Residential, described the new development as ‘a catalyst for positive change’, with 429 rental apartments attracting more than 1,250 new residents, including young families when occupied.

In a written objection, Tim Barlow from Hub added: “Given this new neighbourhood has arrived and will assist the regeneration of the town centre, we think it is no longer appropriate to have a premises offering the sort of adult entertainment that the Honeypot offers."

Referring to the next two phases of the development, Mr Barlow added: “The Honeypot is likely to put off these new [well-known] businesses that bring valuable economic input to the town and again, for this reason, we believe it is no longer appropriate to renew the application.”

Jon Harley, from Get Living, also wrote: “We do not believe it is appropriate to have a premises offering adult entertainment which does not fit in with the character of the local area or meet the aspiration of the new town centre.

“We are also concerned that the Honeypot will deter potential residents and business from moving to the area, thus impacting the economic benefits that can be delivered to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.”

Resident John Baldwin cited the ‘appropriateness’ of the location in his objection to the licence renewal.

He wrote: “The character of the area in the immediate vicinity of the establishment has altered out of all recognition.

“The residential population will be exploding, calling into serious question the appropriateness of this as a location for a sexual entertainment venue.”

At the meeting, Honeypot owner John Sennett highlighted there hadn’t been any objections upheld in the 25-year history of the premises.

He said Mr Baldwin’s objection was based on moral grounds and countered the developers’ objections by adding:

“[Mr Barlow] said there’s 1250 people there saying they would object to it. Well there's not 1250 people there, there's nobody there.

“The fundamentals from last year to this year haven't changed because there's nobody in the flats. So the situation is exactly the same as it was last year when the licence was granted.

“Queen Street is designated an entertainment area by the council so we are in the entertainment business.”

Mr Sennett told Cllr Jack Douglas that he wasn’t concerned by the gradual ‘residential nature’ of the area.

“More people coming to Maidenhead, the better for business, the better for Maidenhead. There’s going to be bars and restaurants underneath the flats…and we’re going to be in competition with them, which is fair enough," he added. 

Following the representations, sub-committee members Cllr Mandy Brar, Cllr Jack Douglas and Cllr Genevieve Gosling will deliberate their verdict, which must be received within five working days.