LAP dancing clubs could be banned from Bournemouth in a radical review of the borough’s sexual entertainment policy.

The possibility of strip clubs being moved “out of town” or to “some sort of industrial estate” were also mooted during a council discussion examining its latest strategy for such businesses.

The change would affect anywhere in the town licensed to offer lap dancing, pole dancing, table dancing or strip shows.

Cllr Andrew Morgan, chairman of the licensing board, has asked council officers to examine relevant case law before the authority puts its ideas out to public consultation in the coming months.

“If we do decide zero is the right number for SEVs (Sexual Entertainment Venues) we need to have clear reasons why we are doing that or else we leave ourselves very vulnerable to challenge,” said Cllr Morgan.

Listen to councillors making suggestions in the licensing board meeting, it starts from around 40 minutes in

“If zero is the number for the town centre – is there any other part of the borough that we think would be suitable? Perhaps some sort of industrial estate or something out of town?”

Somebody in the meeting could then be heard jokingly shouting out “Poole” in response to Cllr Morgan’s question.

Cllr Morgan said the authority was “not taking a moral view” but that the changes would be made “on the basis of considering the locality and how the borough is shaping up”.

Members cited the “complete change in character” of Horseshoe Common where clubs with SEVs – Wiggle and For Your Eyes Only – are based.

“We could consider that the appropriate number of SEVs is nil for the borough, but it would be difficult in light of the case law to say that any existing ones were to be closed, which means that each one would be considered on its own merits at renewal,” said Cllr Morgan.

He said this could be considered in “the context of locality but also in the way they have been operating”.

Cllr Morgan reminded members of the case of Spearmint Rhino, based on Yelverton Road, which had its licence put on six months probation in December 2014 after hotly refuted exploitation allegations.

Less concern was expressed about “discreet” sex shops which are subject to strict regulations restricting what can be displayed outside.

“What we want to avoid is children walking by saying ‘mummy, what is that?’" said Cllr Morgan. "On the SEV side it might be harder for a parent to answer a question like that."

And the meeting's vice chairman, Cllr David Kelsey, said: “To be fair, you can walk into many supermarkets and buy the sorts of things you can buy in these sex shops these days. You can go down to Ann Summers and buy far worse stuff than what is ever displayed in sex shop windows.”