Glenthorne Road Strip Club Has its Licence Renewed Again

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Proximity to two schools not enough to persuade councillor to rethink

Secrets has been operating since 1997

April 24, 2026

A strip club in Hammersmith has had its licence renewed for a further year despite concerns over its proximity to two schools.

Secrets, which has been trading from Glenthorne Road in Hammersmith and Fulham since 1997, had sought permission to continue its operations along the same lines as its existing licence.

These enabled it to provide sexual entertainment from 9pm until 4am Monday to Friday, 6pm until 4am Saturday and 6pm until midnight on Sunday.

Sexual entertainment venue (SEV) licences must be applied for annually, giving residents and other interested parties the opportunity to write in either in-support or opposing its renewal. Secrets’ latest application received two objections, raising concerns such as the venue’s appropriateness in a residential area, as well as two in favour.

One of the objections read, “The premises are located within a predominantly residential area and in immediate proximity to highly sensitive uses, including children’s educational settings.

“The venue backs directly onto a primary school (West London Free School) and is situated within approximately 100 metres of a second school (Godolphin and Latymer), as well as a number of nurseries.”

They added there are some perceptions in the community about a potential conflict of interest “regarding the relationship between the operator and the local authority”.

No formal allegation was made, though the objector requested evidence of the process used to ensure no conflict arose.

In one of the two letters of support the submitter stated they were asked to file a representation by the venue itself.

“My experience of Secrets is overwhelmingly positive,” they wrote. “The staff are all extremely professional, courteous and welcoming. The security presence is visible without being obtrusive. The venue is well run and the staff look after the customers.

“This includes concerns that customers get home safely afterwards (asking if I required a taxi) and also being more aware than I was that I might be in need of water at one stage. I have not been at the venue beyond about 1 or 2 am nor at the weekend to speak to points raised previously about noise at closing time.”

Sam Brigstock, a resident speaking on behalf of one of the objectors, Toby Barnett, at a Hammersmith and Fulham Council Licensing Sub-Committee meeting, said Secrets’ location in a largely residential area with a number of schools and nurseries was of particular concern.

On SEVs he said, “We choose them carefully, and we choose to make sure that they are placed away from the curious minds of children wherever possible.”

He added that in terms of the safeguarding of children, “there is the potential for increased risk simply because of its proximity to the schools and the local area housing a lot of young people”.

Anna Loake, also a resident, told councillors she is not against Secrets as a business but is rather concerned about the location.

Noting it is advertised publicly as a table dancing venue, she said: “I, as an expecting mother, don’t really fancy my children’s early questions being, ‘mummy, what’s table dancing?'”

Ms Loake said the area around the club, while not rowdy, was often full of people late at night with cars also parked outside.

She said this made it an “incredibly uncomfortable” experience, particularly for women walking past.

Sarah Le Fevre, a barrister representing Secrets, noted the venue’s ongoing operations and stable ownership since 1997, and its early transformation from a loud nightclub.

She said: “It is a premises which has enjoyed a close and positive working relationship with the police and responsible authorities from its arrival to-date, who have appreciated and recognise that change in character and who most recently in the form of a trio of police licensing officers carried out an inspection of the venue…and raised no issues at all of concern.”

Ms Loake later expanded on her comments regarding feeling unsafe following a question from Cllr Wesley Harcourt.

She said she “would caution undermining a feeling of dread and lack of safety in an area”, which she added was a “pretty awful thing for a woman to feel”.

Cllr Harcourt also asked about the suggestion in the objections that there may be some conflict of interest between the council and the club.

Ms Loake said she was not making a formal allegation though that it was “quite widely talked about” that members of the local authority attend Secrets, and so had sought reassurance the licensing process would ensure impartiality.

“It is widely talked about, and I think from a reputational perspective it’s not great.”

The Licensing Sub-Committee agreed to renew the SEV licence for a further year, extending it to March 31, 2027. Secrets last had its licence renewed in October after two previous meetings had to be adjourned.

A Secrets spokesperson said at the time they were “delighted that its SEV licence was renewed in line with its application and looks forward to continuing to work closely with its neighbours and the local authority”.

Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter

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