CAMPAIGNERS objecting to a lapdancing club have welcomed government plans for stricter licensing laws.

The move came as MP Shahid Malik launched a petition against the lapdancing venue Forbidden.

Under the new rules, every lapdancing club will have to reapply for its licence as a "sex encounter" venue.

The Forbidden nightlcub on Bradford Road was granted permission earlier this month to offer lapdancing, pole dancing and private dancing in booths.

The Dewsbury MP this week started a petition against the club, claiming it could make Dewsbury a 'magnet for the sex industry'.

He said: "After having campaigned vigorously to regenerate the town centre the prospect of having a lap dancing club would be a tragic set back which would damage the image of Dewsbury.

"We do not want to cultivate an image of a seedy town but rather a family-oriented town.

"If this is allowed to develop then Dewsbury could become a magnet for the sex industry, which would be a disaster."

Forbidden, at the former Green's Nite Scene club in Bradford Road, has yet to start trading as a lapdancing club.

Licensee Paul Wood said: "When this law comes into effect we will have to deal with it and take things from there, but I can't predict how it will affect me."

Coun Eric Firth (Lab, Dews East), said the new rules would give local people more powers to get the licence revoked.

He said: "I'm not happy about the club. I don't want to be the guardian of public morals; my concern is more about the location and how it will affect people living next to it.

"I think this legislation is good news for local people, and I'll be keeping in close contact with them to see how they are affected."

The town's Chamber of Trade this week said the club was bad news for Dewsbury.

President Trish Makepeace said: "I've had lots of people ringing me about this. The club is on Bradford Road, which is a gateway to the town.

"The worry is that more people will apply for licences to run these clubs. We could be flooded with them.

"When we said we wanted the town rebranded, this is not what we had in mind. The town's image is down far enough. We don't want it to sink any further."

Dewsbury South councillors Salim Patel (Con) and Masood Ahmed (Lab) agreed.

Coun Patel said: "We want to create a good image for Dewsbury and lap dancing clubs aren't acceptable."

Coun Ahmed added: "If you open the doors to one of these places, it's an invitation to others. I have my own reservations about lapdancing and I don't want Dewsbury associated with it."

The number of lapdancing clubs in Britain has doubled to more than 300 since the Licensing Act in 2003 made it easier to obtain a licence.