A NIGHTCLUB owner says he won’t hold any more children’s parties in the same building as Henley’s lap dancing club.

Leno Borg blamed public criticism of the Valentine’s event for 15- to 18-year-olds held at Latino’s, which is above the Diamonds and Pearls club in Greys Road car park.

It was the second in a series of parties that Mr Borg said was designed to provide "somewhere for the kids to go”. No alcohol was served.

More than 100 teenagers, mostly girls, attended Sunday’s event, which was called the U18s iGlow UV Valentine Party and was "created” by Diamonds and Pearls Events and promoted on social networking site Facebook.

Last week, Elsa Torres, deputy headteacher of Gillotts School in Henley, criticised the party, saying: "While I think it is a good thing for teenagers to have the chance to go to venues and enjoy themselves, they should be in more respectful places than above a pole dancing club.”


Town councillor Barry Wood, who has campaigned to have Diamonds and Pearls closed down, said: "The whole thing is contaminating our children, who are being exposed to the seamier side of life.

"This party just further intensifies my opposition to that place. The sooner we get rid of it the better.”

Mr Borg, whose two children attend Gillotts and helped him promote the party, said he was "disappointed” at the criticism. "They didn’t even come to check what the party was like,” he said. "It went very well and there were no problems. The children just want to come and enjoy themselves. I have been in this town for many years and thought I would give something back but I am not going to get into that any more — it is not worth it with people putting negative slants on it.

"We have definitely got a problem in Henley where 15- to 18-year-olds have nowhere to go. That’s what Barry Wood needs to sort out. The youth centre is dilapidated and not many kids use it.”

Mr Borg said he made a loss on the party and he wouldn’t be holding any more because of the "adverse publicity”. He added: "It is unfortunate for the kids.”

Cllr Wood welcomed the news, saying: "I applaud holding children’s parties but I don’t believe this was the right setting, which would be the rugby club, a church or the town hall.

"In four months’ time, the club’s licence comes up for review and it is going to argue that it is being used by the community. The club is trying to integrate itself into the community and that’s wrong.”

Published 28/02/11