A BOURNEMOUTH lap-dancing club put on probation by the council's licensing board is seeking a renewal of its sexual entertainment venue licence.

Spearmint Rhino in Yelverton Road was given a six-month licence on a probationary period last December and warned it needed to take the opportunity to "prove itself."

Now this six month probationary period is up and Spearmint Rhino applied to renew its licence on June 12, signalling the start of a 28-day consultation period in which anyone can make representations for or against the renewal.

If there are any objections, the application will go before the council's licensing committee again who will decide whether or not the licence can be renewed.

The decision in December followed a six-hour meeting of the licensing committee, in which councillors heard claims the club had "exploited" some customers, including one man who had spent more than £6,000 in one evening at the club. Two other people made allegations the club had taken unauthorised payments from their debit cards.

Spearmint Rhino "hotly contested" allegations of exploitation but were criticised by councillors for an incident in which three days of CCTV footage had gone missing.

Cllr Andrew Morgan, chair of the board, warned the club it was being given an opportunity to prove itself. He said if Spearmint Rhino was back in six months time and similar issues arise, it would be unlikely to have its licence renewed and said licensing officers would be encouraged to carry out inspections of the premises to check it was abiding by all its conditions.

He described the loss of CCTV footage as "woeful" and added: "If you do not get it right next time, you will not get the result you want."