An Oxford congregation lost its appeal on 30th June 2010 to overturn the variation of a licence to run a lap-dancing club just 50 yards from their church. The Rev Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church, lodged an appeal after Oxford Council’s Licensing Committee granted the variation to Greene King to run Thirst Lodge in Pennyfarthing Place, off St Ebbe’s Street. He said: ‘We still feel that granting the licence to permit lap-dancing at this sort of establishment was totally inappropriate because of its proximity to the church and because these types of clubs can make women feel vulnerable - there are hundreds of young female students who live nearby and women who park their cars in the nearby Westgate Car Park. We wouldn’t be keen to see such a club anywhere because lap-dancing degrades God’s gift of sex.’ Would the licence have been granted had the club been sited next to a mosque

Pray: for local churches to stand up for Christian values in the public square. (Mk.16:15)

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