A strip club has been granted a licence extension to perform lap dances till 5am.

Black Diamond, on Friar Street, was granted the extension after reassuring councillors and licensing officers that appropriate measures had been taken to ensure dancers are not touching customers inappropriately.

Councillors were also told by Thames Valley Police that there had been no issues of crime and disorder at any licensed Sexual Entertainment Venues (SEVs) in Reading.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) officer Simon Wheeler had previously raised concern that dancers had been touching customers inappropriately, after viewing footage from within booths.

Dancers were seen “sitting on customers laps and touching” in contravention of SEV licensing conditions.

Officers from TVP and RBC were satisfied, however, with measures introduced such as increasing CCTV monitoring and not hiring performers who contravened the rules.

John Champeu, RBC licensing officer, said: “There are no objections to this application, just observations by us and TVP.”

The 108 Friar Street club’s previous SEV licence allowed it to perform sexual entertainment activities till 3am.

The extended licence means the club can now open till 5am but cannot sell alcohol later than 3am.

Customers must finish drinking by four and the no customers can enter the club after 2.30am.

Black Diamond owners LGL Entertainment plan to apply for an extension to its premises licence, so it can also sell alcohol later, but could find that more difficult to achieve.

PC Wheeler said: “If there was an extension to the premises licence we would agree a robust set of conditions or come before this committee.”

The Licensing Applications committee meeting took place yesterday evening (Tuesday, September 25) at the council’s Civic Offices.

The hearing was due to be heard last month, but the hearing was adjourned to allow the applicant more time to prepare.

Reading has four sexual entertainment venues, two of which are in the town centre.