A row over boards showing a man wearing knee-high PVC boots outside a Midland bar escalated today, after around 150 people joined an on-line campaign.
Walsall Council has been attacked by gay and lesbian groups after ordering that “illegal” pictures outside Kinky Boots cabaret bar, in Darlaston, be removed.
Members of the local authority’s Development Control Committee will vote on whether to approve enforcement action at a meeting on Tuesday. Almost 150 people have joined a campaign in support of the bar on networking site Facebook.
But planning chiefs at Walsall Council have defended their actions, saying the move to get the boards taken down was on a purely legal basis.
Paul Bird, from Kinky Boots, today said the venue was popular with people of all persuasions and that everyone was welcome.
“Kinky Boots is not a gay cabaret bar, it is a cabaret bar that is open to all, no matter what sexual persuasion or race,” he said.
“Perhaps the council should look at a few other buildings in Darlaston. One opposite the bar has been boarded up for years and I understand it belongs to Walsall council.
“Then of course just through the lights are numerous derelict shops.
“The graphic is the business logo, very similar to the cover of the film Kinky Boots.
“The windows were replaced with boards after numerous vandal attacks on them.
“The vandalism occurred over a period of a few months, and although there are council CCTV monitors that would record the attacks, no prosecutions ever occurred.”
A report to the Development Control Committee by Walsall’s head of planning control, David Elsworthy, said: “Local concern was expressed about the content of the advertisements.
“The figures displayed all exceed the maximum size limit.
The advertisements are relatively large and strident and are obtrusive in the street scene,” he added.
38 Comments
Ive been to kinky boots n its a nice frendly place, as the owner says its very wolcoming to any race, sex, or colour, the boards r just picture, dont see the big deal about them, they just a symbol from the film kinky boots, this is the only thing in darlsaton, apart from asda lol that we have, i say to the council , leave it up, its not hurting any1,if anything the council shud do sumthing with those derelict buildings, make darlastin look a mess wen u drive through, i mean why spend all that money on asda n leave the rest of the place looking nasty,all i wana say is leave it up, its not doin any harm, i have lots of frends that go here too, and they would agree with me , and also its protecting the windows because there is alot of vandalism, ps the council need to do more for the kids around there…
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Does anybody have a link to this campaign ? I’d very gladly join the campaign to keep the advertising posters !
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I drive past the sign everyday, I find them cheap and nasty. To be fair that sums the whole area up really………its rough and derelict and pretty unpleasent all round.
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There are more important things going on in the world than this, what a load of hot air over nothing, I’ll bet if it was pictures of scantily clad dolly birds there would be no issue
It’s the only place that seems to add colour to an otherwise dull, derelict and rough area - I think arguing that this is a size issue is just a cop-out
If needed, re-size to a ‘legal’ allowance and see if these complaints continue…
However I must add that as a gay council worker myself I would be appalled if these allegations of homophobia were true, I speak with the equalities people all the time and WMBC fights hard to fairly represent its LGBT workers and townspeople
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The face book group can be found at http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=47649689178
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If it is purely a size issue, why do council officials keep making comments regards the content.
I quote head of planning control David Elsworthy in the above article “Local concern was expressed about the content of the advertisements” nothing about local concern about the size, and is local concern, or just council officials and councillors?
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Paul
The area may be run down - but the majority of the people are friendly and welcoming. Darlaston has suffered through a cronic lack of investment from Walsall Council who see it as appropriate to waste thousands on consultants and countless refurbs of Walsall town centre but don’t invest in the smaller towns.
I’m from Darlaston and proud - you know if Darlaston did not exist most of us would be under Nazi rule - DARLASTON kept the UK free via its industrial might
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well i am the founder of the facebook group, I too work for the council! I work in a seperate area and am appauled by there action and the remarks off Councillor Botts! I am glad ort campaign to keep the boards continue to raise members and we currently have 271 members and rising! the link to the group would nnot probably make it through the moderator prrocess and therefore anyone who wants to join should just look up kinky boots and im sure we will come up! I only hope our efforts can save Paul the time off taking the boards down only to put them up again! but with how this council works i very much doubt it! failing that we could always advertise on a bus with far worse images instead of thte windows!!!
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It’s interesting that this article does not mention the offence caused by the counsellors comments, but rather focused on the fact the boards or too big - strange that!
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Elsworthy, said: “Local concern was expressed about the content of the advertisements.
Really? How much local concern? So if its the content that raises a concern why are you claiming the size is a problem? Make your argument and stick to it.
There has been far more riskee posters advertising female lingerie displayed around the West Midlands and I bet the phobic’s in local authorities didn’t complain then.
Live and let live. Get a life and concentrate on cleaning up the rest of the place Walsall Council.
Kinky Boots, resize the posters asap and see what they say then.
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I find the words of counciller Bott insulting and unfair, to say that things like this shouldn’t be pushed into people’s faces is a completely ridiculous, how many times do we have to walk down a street in a city or town and HAVE to hear some religous person screaming words from the bible and telling us that we’re all going to hell, how come THIS is allowed to be “pushed into our faces” where a bar owner making an honest living gets threatened with fines of up to £7,500 for 1. Taking security measures and 2. simply brightening the place up. I have only been to Kinky Boots Bar once, accompanying an act that was performing there and I found ZERO intrusiveness what so ever, in fact I commented saying that it was great to see something different displayed, and why not, we have to endure giant advertisement boards while we drive along the motorway which I don’t know how that can’t be obtrusive!
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It is my opinion that the advertising posters are very effective and the size and strident nature of the posters actually enhance the building as they contrast visually and highlight the building and its magnificent architecture visible and contemporary on the street scene, perhaps more visible than it has been for many years bringing the architecture into focus in a contemporary way. The nature of our towns is changing as we move into the future and in order to be competitive and for businesses to succeed in these troubling times , visibility is an issue . The building I understand was abandoned by the bank as no longer fit for purpose in this modern age.
Darlaston should be gratetful that the current proprietor saw it fit for purpose as a cabaret bar bringing it back to life and ensuring that the building did not and does not fall into misuse and disrepair , creating another eyesore on the street .
The building is now a successful business attracting and welcoming many local people from the community to the premises, and employing people and paying rent and taxes .
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My view is , that the street scene and townscape needs to adapt in order to thrive and attract customers in order for our town centres to continue to thrive and not die .
I personally believe the advertising boards on the once vandalised windows are a contemporary and modern twist which tweak the building and bring it into the 21st century , I find them attractive with humour and very artistic , bringing focus to the fact that the building is alive and in use and that contemporary art and culture maybe found on the premises an important addition to the town of Darlaston . I hope the planning department will look more favourably on the building and its advertising in light of my comments and approve the proprietors solution to the constant vandalism of his windows , the alternative would be soulless shutters which may effect his business to its detriment and closure, bringing no solution to the problems of Darlaston .
i hope there is always room for compromise and innovation in these matters .
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What a load of complete utter rubbish, The pictures do not show any sexual content, You can go to any newspaper shop and buy explicit porn over the counter and all is openly displayed on shops magazine racks. The coucil needs to sort their own blunders, like the Arboretum Island, what a complete and utter mess they made of that. For christs sake, why can’t the council and all the old fudges that run it start and get a life and worry about more serious stuff.
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if anyone is to be considered in this affair its the children who pass by on a regular basis i do not think they should be exposed to these tarty pictures the gays and lesbins in all probability will never be asked the sort of questions about these pictures that kids ask their parents its no good saying its the way it is these days perhaps a lot of people dont want it that way let kids grow up first
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why o why o why r people moanin about a cuple ov pics that do no harm ? this bar brings much needed life & money into darlaston which thru taxes help pay the wages of our councilers surely the empty derelict shops that “welcome” visitors to our once superb town are much more of an issue. if walsall council put half as much effort into gettin rid of these eyesores darlaston wouldn’t be the ghost town it is today places like kinky boots which bring people of all backgrounds into the community should be encouraged the police aren’t called out every weekend like most pubs in the town so just let it be !!! & 4 the record i’m as straight as route 66 !!!!
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Oh for goodness sake. If you took as much notice of how the Country is being run it might be worth the complaints. Get over it.
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and in response to geoff..gay and lesbian people have children too!! so im sure their children are not a different speicies and ask completely different questions to those in hetrosexual families!!
we are in 2008 where there is a political correctness gone crazy..ie no baa baa black sheep etc but we still cant have a pic of a man in kinky boots! this really puzzles me!! life isnt how it was in the war or dark ages and i for one embrace it! BTW IM A STRAIGHT WOMAN!!!
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and a further point the group has now over 300 members who support kinky boots!
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My nan loathes it. It cheapens an emphasises the seedy side of what is now a run down area which was once a thriving industrial area in the Midlands. How many of the people posting on here in support would be happy if a similar establisment set up in the street where they lived? Not many I bet….its all very good being politically correct and self rightous when you dont live there, you dont have a problem when as long as its not in your backyard.
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Karen, if its no big deal….why are you on here commenting on it?
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300 people sign up to facebook …well wuppy doo. try asking the local community what they think, predominantly the elderly (who surprise, surprise - don’t do facebook) and also the asian community…see what they think. Its always interseting to get the perspective of people who live there not just pass through. Oh well, I suppose it puts Darlo back on the map after years of neglect..swingers club round the corner and “Cabaret bar” on the main road…it makes you proud to be a Midlander!! lol
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Biffo..I do live here! I have lived in Darlaston all my life and the most thriving i have ever seen darlaston in the last 30 years is a pet stall and a buger van on the market day! Boots is half empty and if it wasnt for Asda and Kinky Boots nobody need ever visit us! The Thriving industrial town was gone way before kinky boots came to town! My nan 86 doesnt have a problem with kinky boots and tattoo parlours opening up! Its how things are now..life has moved on and so has means of entertainment..like it or not Kinky Boots has as much right to advertise how they see fit as anyone else! There are worse things in life than whats on show the windows!
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Nicola, my nan is 90 and all of my family are from Darlaston, they don’t like it, I feel sorry for her that she feels uncomfortable with it when walking to the town that she grew up in. This “life has moved on argument just doesn’t wash with me…are you trying to say that as they are older and perhaps to some degree living in the past their opinions do not count? Lapdancing clubs in Walsall have more discreet signs than kinky boots why does it have to be so in your face? not everyone is comfortable with this even if you are. Tattoo parlours, Kinky boots, swingers clubs, are all the way it is now then…so we should just accept that should we?…Ok why not throw a couple of brothels in there, lap-dancing clubs, amusement arcades, nightclubs, who cares…it’s the way it is now! I find that pretty sad if thats truly what you think.
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I cant believe in 2008 that this is still a discussion, I am a member of the facebook site purely as the images do not portray anything offensive! They just show a man in boots. I believe that the council wouldnt invest the time or money if this was religion. its purely homophobic. I think the national press should be involved.
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I really hope that common sense prevails here. Many people are angry about Councillor Bott’s remarks and im sure thats why this has been made such a big deal, she should have eaten humble pie and apologised. But from all the responses i have read on the facebook group from her, she cant see what she has done wrong and continued to say silly thinks like i have gay friends! Please woman…you escalated this situation..its no longer about the boards its about whats right and being homophobic will never be accepted.
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I hope everyone attends the planning meeting on Tuesday at 6pm Walsall Town Hall, That way the council can see just how much these remarks and the principle means to them. I personally see the boards as advertising like femfresh and tampax..or the thrush adverts while you eat your tea..you may not like them but its out there. we can never like everything in life.
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Mart…what a load of garbage, its about taste…not homophobia.. You don’t mind the pictures as they are not offensive to you…to other people they are! Its not about homophobia, its about having an opinion..its called democracy..look it up!
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Im utterly appauled. Im so angry. I am more concerned that the vandals who originally broke the window were not pursued. The owner then feels it necassary to board up his windows to keep trading and now the council think he should remove them, everyone is right, if they were boarded up plain(like the rest of Darlaston) there wouldnt be the issue even if they were still the same size as they are now! the council are hiding behind this because they dont like the images.
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Biffo, I appreciate you dont like them personally, but at the end of the day i dont like the fact that chidren are becoming obese as a result of junk food yet every child in the country can recognise McDonalds Golden Arches! It clever advertising to get kids to want their food..The boards at Kinky Boots advertise the entertainment on offer..if you dont like it dont go in..but at least you had the opportunity to make an informed choice. Preference is one thing..fair treatment is another!
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Nicola, I have no opinion about the cabaret, I don’t mind cabaret, at all. All I am pointing out is that there is an opposite side to every story and not everybody has the same opinion as yourself. I thought it was a cabaret bar…so if it is an advert for the entertainment inside it must be a drag bar then? Personally I am not at all bothered but there are a number of people who are but not are not as vocal as your good self. Nicola, you are very elequent with your arguments, but I am not sure that you would ever get my Gran or her friends to agree on this one. Good luck to you though at least you are standing up for something you believe in.
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Nicola a reply, life is like this, we need to accept things! Old people get taken advantage of because they aint street wise and things were never like that in their day. It doesnt make these days worse than their times..its just different. Im sorry your 90 year old nan doesnt like the images but to be honest but its about having equal rights. Danny La Rue, Lilly Savage and Julian Clary, are loved by old people..its no difference! Female Impersonator’s are funny, witty and great entertainment..so much better than going into town to see a load of kids tanked up and after a fight! people travel miles to come to Kinky Boots as the entertainment is high quality..not to everyone’s taste im sure but then if prople dont come they dont have to go home again(saying from my nan)
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OMG all this over an ad! people really need to get a life!
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it strikes me that the council became involved after complaints were received about the content of the advertising posters when they were posted inside the building , they could do nothing at that time as there was nothing wrong with the content of the posters, they were and remain completely legal and not pornographic or obscene .
The windows were vandalised and posters were put up outisde the building to cover boards which were erected to prevent further vandalism of windows and to protect customers from injury .
Further complaints were received by the council concerning the nature and content and visibility of these posters, not the fact that the window frames of a listed building being obscured , the council then responded to the homophobic complaints by discovering that planning permission was needed due to the size of the boards and poster images ,
had the council not received these homophobic complaints this matter would not have been investigated , so therefore it is a matter of homophobia in the community rather than the size and the council is pandering to a few homophobic bigots and using planning regulations as an excuse, It is a classic case of homophobia and should be resisted and challenged as such .
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Seems the meeting started a little early today and surprise surprise guess which item was first on the agenda. A decision to take legal action against Kinky Boots seems to have been pushed through by the councillors with no objection. Whatever happened to fair representation, when the council just railroad their own agenda through before anyone even arrives at the meeting. You want to vote for democracy in the future you now know who you shouldn’t be voting for, who ever thought we’d see a dictatorship regime in Walsall. I think everyone no matter their opinion on this issue should be worried now, as it seems that the council will act on their own agenda without public opinion or representation.
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How disgraceful, I was in attendance at the meeting scheduled for 6pm today..and guess what..it was started early with the Kinky Boots item starting the meeting so by 6pm..it had been actioned…I arrived at 5.50pm and the meeting had decided…apparently 3 public complaints were recieved which pre-emptied the investigation…hardly a huge showing of opposition! The council had this decided prior to today as Paul Bird (owner of Kinky Boots had recieved his legal letter before today this was a formality! and a complete farce!! I am so angry! Why invitte us to attend a meeting if it was bought forward..I SMELL A RAT!!!
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Walsall council are obviously deceitful and underhand, this is a disgrace no matter what your opinion on the matter, it is fundamentally wrong to invite people to a meeting to discuss this, then start the meeting and action it before the allocated time, how many other desicions are made is way? whatever happened to democracy?
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I spoke to Mr Elsworthy a Planning Officer about an hour before the Planning meeting on Monday. I asked him about the statements attributed to him in the paper. He did not know the maximum size of boards, he did not know how many complaints there had been about the boards, he did not seem to be sure who had said that the boards were strident etc stating that it was his name on the statement but he had bnot said those things. He failed at any point to advise me that there was a meeting at 530pm although when he received my emailed questions he replied telling me that there was. On Tuesday he chose not to tell me, when asked by email, which planning dept staff were present at the meeting. I understand that he was. This appears obstructive and unacceptable for a public servant.
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