Swingers club with 18 bedrooms and ‘massage area’ gets green light

Planning permission for a swingers club with 18 bedrooms to be built inside a former aquarium has been given the go ahead by Bolton Council.

The private members club will operate on the site of Dave’s Aquarium on Folds Road, close to Bolton town centre and will house 18 bedrooms, a sauna, a cinema room and a dance floor.

Planning documents, first lodged in March this year on behalf of Peter Hemingway, show the club will be built inside the grounds of Dave’s Aquarium and Dave’s Angling Superstore – established businesses also owned by Mr Hemingway.

Set over two floors, the private members club will be developed in what is currently being used as a storage warehouse, while the two existing businesses will continue to operate as normal.

Bolton Council have published proposals which show the ground floor of the club would include a bar, dance floor, changing rooms, lockers and a reception area. 

The first floor would have 18 bedrooms, a sauna, a cinema room, a decking area where people can swim and make use of as a spa, as well as a massage room and ‘private room’.

The area located in front of the building will have room for 48 vehicles.

Mr Hemingway made a crime impact statement where he addressed the club’s ethos, saying: “For the past seven years I have owned and run a similar establishment in Leeds, Pandora’s.

“During this time we have had no instances of anti-social behaviour at all and we have never had police attend our club for any reason. 

“We will be operating a strictly members only policy in our club, any prospective couples who wish to join must show ID when joining.

“Our minimum age for joining is 25. Single males who wish to join the club must fill in an application online and attend a face to face interview before joining.

“We will not allow single males to join on the door so that we can evaluate potential members before joining. 

“Club members in our community are very well behaved and on the whole very sociable people who attend the club for social interaction in a safe and well managed environment.”

A planning officer report made by Bolton Council reads: “The application proposes to utilise the ground and first floors of the L-shaped three-storey part of the building, as well as the enclosed courtyard area to the south west.

“The nearest residential properties are approximately 100 metres away.

“The proposal would result in a vacant building being brought back into use and in this regard, it would likely have a positive impact on reducing vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the locality.”

It is not yet clear what the club will be called and when it is to be built.