Hmmm, or does it?! Last night saw the opening of the first Irish branch of Peter Stringfellows lapdancing club. Ok, nothing too strange there you would think, just another tacky lapdancing club opening up to satisfy those in the need.

However, I am quite amazed by the amount of fuss this has caused. There have been protests, political heat on the licencing of lapdancing clubs, and more media interest in this story than I have seen in any around Dublin for the past while! I can’t quite understand why. It’s not like this is the first lapdancing club opening in Ireland, we already have plenty of those around the city. It can’t be to do with location (it’s actually in a rather rough and run down part of town, whereas other clubs are in far more prominent and affluent areas, more on that later). And it can’t be because we’re the backward little nation of holy roman catholics that we were 20 years ago, where the catholic church ruled day to day life in large parts of the country, we’re not there any more. Modern Ireland is one of the most forward thinking, developed and fastest growing countries in the world!

So, what is it? I dunno, I really can’t explain it! Any feedback on why you think Stringfellow’s opening in Ireland has caused such a fuss would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and I said earlier that I would mention location. Well, the club is on Pearse St in Dublin, near to rather run-down parts of North Inner City Dublin, where a lot of unsavoury characters (lets be fair, muggers and scumbags) tend to gather on occasion. The natural clientele of the club are likely to be suited and booted businessmen with too much money to spend, and no great thrill in their lives. These boys are going to be seen as mobile cash machines to the muggers that hang about in the area! Do I see the club surviving? I have to say no, not where it is. If it were up around St Stephens Green, where they were initially looking to locate, then yes, perhaps it would. But, where it is now, I can’t see it lasting more than six months!