EAST Lancashire is to get its first lap dancing clubs - once councillors have completed an erotic tour to see what all the fuss is about!

Blackburn with Darwen Council bosses have received two inquiries for licences to be altered, allowing dancers in existing town centre venues.

But councillors want to visit venues in neighbouring boroughs before deciding what conditions to attach to the public entertainment licences. It would be the first time East Lancashire has had licensed lapdancing bars.

Issues the councillors will have to decide on include the minimum amount of clothes the dancers must wear, how close they can get to clients, whether they can only dance in private cubicles or in public, and just how erotic their dancing can be.

They can also determine what the front of the building looks like, and can request that dancing is restricted to areas which can't be seen through front windows.

Today Julian Barraclough, manager of Preston's lap dancing bar, Perfect 10 in Lune Street, offered to show the councillors what lap dancing was all about - and let them see a dance.

And licensing councillor Ronald O'Keeffe said: "I have never been to one of these places but would be prepared to go in the interests of the town."

He added: "We have to make sure we don't let sleaze joints open in Blackburn. If that means seeing one of these places open, then so be it, but it isn't an excuse for ogling women."

Coun Maureen Bateson, in charge of citizens rights at the council, said: "I am not opposed to the idea of lap dancing bars at all. However, I think it is important that we do all we can to make sure we do not just end up with a tacky venue which detracts from the town centre as a whole.

"That is why it makes sense for visits to other boroughs with more experience of controlling these venues to see what standards they set."

Coun Jim Blackburn, chairman of the licensing committee, said: "We don't have a policy on this at the moment, so it needs careful attention."

Albert Richardson, a councillor in Preston which has licensed two different lap dancing bars, said today: "I had concerns at first but we have successfully imposed conditions which means we know there is no bad behaviour.

"At the same time, it is in the city centre here and we have made sure it has been tastefully designed and doesn't look tacky.

"These are the sorts of measures Blackburn could take to make sure it fits in their town centre. Blackburn town centre is looking a lot better now."

Mr Barraclough said: "The councillors are more than welcome to come and look around my venue.

"We have tried to prove that lap dancing bars are the modern-day gentlemen's clubs. They can see everything, because we are proud of what we do."