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Edinburgh's licensed massage parlours up for license renewal. But this time the councillors will have to argue their case in the public gaze
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4th November 2012
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article from
scotsman.com
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It is an element of Edinburgh life that is hidden in plain sight. For years the city's sex industry has operated alongside businesses and homes in some of the wealthiest neighbourhoods without many being aware of its existence. Edinburgh's
licensed saunas, a discreet front for prostitution, are widely regarded as a pragmatic way of managing the sex industry. They sit side-by-side with shops and houses with little to suggest to passers-by that they are anything other than a convenient venue
to enjoy a relaxing back massage. Edinburgh's system is among the most liberal in the UK. Supporters of the system say it has kept many women off the streets and provided a safe environment for those engaged in sex work. But this week 13 of
the city's 15 saunas face a turning point. Their licences, which fall into the public entertainment category, are up for renewal on Wednesday and two objections have been lodged. One long-time critic, Michael Anthony, has written to members of
Edinburgh City Council's licensing sub-committee, pointing out that it is a criminal offence to operate a brothel. It is well established that Edinburgh saunas are brothels, he wrote. It is a criminal offence to
operate a brothel. Anyone assisting committing of crime also commits an offence. Accordingly, councillors cannot grant entertainment licenses, or any other permission to operate a brothel.
For now, the future of Edinburgh's unique
method of handling prostitution hangs in the balance. The closure of all or some of the saunas would change the face of the sex industry. Councillor Joanna Mowat, a former committee member, said: We don't look too
closely at what goes on in properties that are licensed for massage. But we may be pushed to change if Mr Anthony has evidence.
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Edinburgh council renews massage parlour licences after objector fails to make a good case
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| 10th November
2012
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article from
scotsman.com
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Saunas across Edinburgh were business as usual after winning the first major challenge to their trade for more than 15 years. Licences are usually renewed every three years but 12 of the 15 premises were hauled before the committee because the
challenge issued was the same across the board. Establishments throughout the city were granted renewed licences after the objector failed to make a good case. Main objector Mike Anthony had claimed that saunas and massage parlours are
actually illegal brothels and that the authorities turn a blind eye to the sex trade. He even claimed councillors on the committee would be allowing a crime to take place should they approve the licences. He told a packed committee room at the City
Chambers: I accept most of the councillors on this committee are new but councillors have been colluding with brothel keepers to this day. The council and police have reason to believe they are brothels and therefore
operating as criminal enterprises.
However, after taking legal advice members of the committee, led by SNP councillor and retired firefighter Gavin Barrie, rejected the claims after the first hearing. He said Anthony had failed to
supply any first-hand evidence. Barrie said: The committee is not convinced there is sufficient evidence not to renew the licences. There is no evidence here, you just gave us a few websites to look at.
Prior to the decision lawyer Alistair Macdonald, representing Iain and Charles Haig, owners of Scorpio Leisure on Albion Road, suggested the objections against his client were of a personal nature and not concerning the way the business
is run. He added: I would suggest this objection is vexatious and not in bona fide good faith. You have heard there are no objections from the police.
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Edinburgh sauna raids destabilise market, endangering sex workers and customers
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| 5th October 2013
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A highly-publicised police raid on prostitution resulted in sauna bosses retaliating by drawing up a list of high-profile public figures who have used their services. Fear of ending up on the list has resulted in many regular customers to refuse to
use the saunas in favour of offsite liaisons in cars, hotel rooms and flats. Some sauna sex workers are charging inflated prices for the unsafe locations and ither girls have gone completely off radar . Critics of the crackdown say the
spread of the sex industry outside saunas poses a serious risk to public health as well as the safety of girls and their clients. Sauna bosses reprehensibly drew up a 50-strong list of police officers, lawyers and council officials who have used
their services. They plan to use the list in court to lay bare what they claim is hypocrisy on the part of officials. One sex worker said the list was hated by the girls and their clients. She said: Girls are
now getting calls from customers asking them to go to them instead of the client coming into the sauna because they're scared of ending up on the list. As soon as the girls leaves the premises for a job, her safety is compromised
greatly and now, because some of the girls are getting desperate, they're doing jobs that really aren't safe. They have no security driver, they have no mobile contact with anyone to let them know where they are. It's really incredibly dangerous.
But because business has slowed down so much since the raids and then even more since the list was drafted, girls are having to do these jobs to get by.
Several individuals said to be linked to six saunas have been
charged with offences including brothel keeping and living off immoral earnings. |
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Reprehensible police call for condoms to be banned in Edinburgh massage parlours
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| 25th October
2013
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| 23rd October 2013. See article from
bbc.co.uk
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Police Scotland has written to the city council arguing that if it grants licences for five saunas it should be on condition that no condoms and items of a sexual nature are allowed on the premises. Sex workers' charity Scot-pep has condemned the
police proposal saying it could lead to an HIV epidemic. Campaigners for a safer sex trade have said that any ban on condoms would not stop people having sex but it would result in unprotected sex and higher rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted
infections. Update: Condoms survive but four parlours don't 25th October 2013. See article from scotsman.com Four Edinburgh saunas have been closed down by the council, but seven others have been
given permission to continue operating. Police Scotland failed to convince councillors that their reprehensible condition that no items of a sexual nature should be allowed on the premises should be imposed. The only additional conditions
imposed, after being requested by police, were an alcohol ban and requirement that the sauna be in good working order. There were 13 sauna applications to be heard yesterday, five in public and eight in private. Licences were approved for Carol's
Sauna, London Street Sauna, Ambassador Sauna, No Eighteen, Steamworks, Scorpio and New Town Sauna. Speaking after the meeting, convener of the licensing sub- committee, Councillor Gavin Barrie, said: The
committee has carefully reviewed all the information presented, including information from any objectors and reports from Police Scotland. Each application was considered on its individual merits and of the 13 public entertainment licences considered
today, seven have been renewed.
Among the saunas that had their licence applications rejected last night were Blair Street, New Gentle Touch, Paradise and Dundas Street, though the decisions could be appealed. Two other decisions were
deferred.
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Edinburgh's licensed massage parlours under threat
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| 4th February
2014
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| 3rd February 2014. See article from
bbc.co.uk |
Proposals to scrap the licensing of saunas and massage parlours in Edinburgh will be considered by councillors today. The number of parlours has already been reduced after recent police raids. Edinburgh is the only Scottish city to operate a licensing
scheme, part of a tolerant approach to the sex trade. If all are withdrawn, the saunas could stay open, subject to trading standards and public health rules. Speaking last week, Gavin Barrie, City of Edinburgh Council's convener of the
regulatory committee, said it was no longer appropriate to consider saunas and massage premises for a public entertainment licence. Update: Licenses terminated 4th February 2013. See
article from heraldscotland.com
Edinburgh City Council have announced that six saunas which had previously been granted entertainment licences would lose that protection in 28 days. The council has terminated the licences of six establishments: Paradise, The New Gentle
Touch, the Dundas Street Sauna, Scorpio Leisure, Blair Street Sauna and New Town Sauna. The move marks a change in the city's long-standing tolerance of the sex trade and it follows a number of police raids, which were widely regarded as a sign
that the policy of turning a blind eye to such premises over the past two decades had come to an end. But during a meeting yesterday, the council said the arrangement was no longer effective and decided it would be scrapped. This does not
mean the saunas will close but they will now be open to more frequent raids by the police. MSP Margo MacDonald, who supports the licensing of saunas, said that the raids flew in the face of promises to keep policing local after the merger of the
eight distinct forces. Representatives of sex workers said the decision not to license saunas could put them more at risk. The charity Scot-Pep, which campaigns for the rights of sex workers, said it was disappointed by the council's decision. Its
spokeswoman said: This will mean women are working in constant fear of traumatising and counterproductive raids on their workplaces. Premises will be driven underground, away from service providers such as health
workers.
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