Stripograms allowed - but no boxing!

At a meeting of Falkirk Council’s licensing board last week, representatives of the Hannigan Hotels-owned Beancross Hotel, in West Beancross, Polmont, put forward a proposal to vary the establishment’s premises licence so it could change its opening hours on a Sunday from 12.30pm to 11am.

Permission was also sought to stage sporting and “adult entertainment” events.

According to Police Scotland, the possibility of the hotel planning to stage boxing matches on the premises was a real concern because of the anti-social behaviour and organised crime elements that events like this can bring.

However, the applicants stated they had no plans whatsoever to stage boxing matches or cage fights and did not know where the police had got their information.

They only wanted to be able to stage snooker matches and karate exhibitions and allow stripograms for hen nights and stag nights when no children were present.

Board convener Malcolm Nicol said: “There are occasions when boxing matches have caused trouble when they haven’t been supervised properly.”

The board granted permission for the variation with the condition the applicants agree not to hold boxing matches, cage fights or kick boxing contests on the premises and kept events to snooker and martial arts demonstrations.