Streatham could become the sex capital of south London if a High Road club is granted a licence to stage female lap dancing, warns one local councillor.

The managers of Caesar's Forum nightclub have submitted an application to Lambeth Council to waive licence restrictions, enabling them to stage the adult entertainment.

A date for the hearing to be considered has yet to be fixed, but if granted it would allow women to strip completely and dance for clients at their tables.

Streatham Hill councillor Jeremy Clyne said: "We have already got a huge vice problem in Streatham.

"Do residents and police really want to see Streatham turned into the sex capital of south London?

"We could get all sorts of problems if this is allowed to go ahead.

"Streatham needs to be improved as a place to live and shop and a centre of family entertainment, and this would be contradictory to all of that."

The club on Streatham Hill has already been hosting male striptease for the past two years, claiming to be the first club in the world to stage regular ladies' nights.

The club, known as Lap Attack, has been widely featured on national television including the BBC, ITV and Sky, as well as in most national newspapers.

Club owner Fred Batt said: "The vice problem in Streatham has gone.

"There are no vice girls near us or along the High Road at all, the problem has moved to Brixton Hill.

"The concern in Streatham should be with children on the streets mugging people.

"We have had no problems ever since we introduced the ladies' nights with male strippers.

"If the application is refused I shall take the council to court because under the human rights legislation it would amount to sexual discrimination."

A council spokesman said: "The application will be reviewed in due course and all relevant matters taken into consideration."

July 17, 2002 11:00