The owner of a new lapdancing club has said he hopes for smooth sailing as the first venue of its kind in the area opens to the public.

The BR7 Club in the old clubhouse in Flamingo Park, just off the Sidcup bypass, opened to the public on October 6.

It sits on the third floor of the building, which was once used for functions such as weddings and birthdays.

But after a £180,000 revamp, the club now features a main bar and a series of booths and smaller rooms where men can meet the dancers.

The bar will continue to open every Saturday until November 1, when it will also open on Thursdays. From then on, Saturday nights will be for over-30s only.

Speaking to News Shopper, Adrian, the club’s owner, who wouldn't provide his surname, said he does not want customers to feel pressured into the lapdancing part of the club.

“You can go there just for a late-night drink if you want. The lapdancing is totally separate,” he said.

According to Adrian, the club is in two halves, with a large blue-lit bar area where customers can enjoy a drink, and the lapdancing booths in the other half.

It will set you back £10 to get into the club, but there are no extra charges once you’re inside – unless you are buying drinks.

Asked if he was worried about a backlash to operating a club of this kind - the "first and only", according to its owner - Adrian does not have any concerns and says few complaints have been received so far.

“It was advertised in the newspaper and on signs for a long time before it opened. Thousands of people already know about it,” he said.

According to Bromley Council, licensing applications for "sexual entertainment venues" - which includes lapdancing clubs - are considered in relation to their location as well as other factors.

The council cannot refuse an application for this sort of club based on the "morality" of the establishment.

An application for a club of this nature that was near a family and child leisure area, such as a shopping centre, would be considered "unsuitable."

Any applications near schools or places of worship would also be likely to be refused.