Soho, once the beating heart of London’s after-dark decadence, is about to get a fresh injection of old-school vice—and some residents are losing their minds over it. The outrage? A proposed strip club promising “full nudity” for VIPs, the kind of place that sends pearl-clutching locals into a frenzy.
The Penthouse Club, an international chain with locations in the U.S., Australia, and Russia, has applied to open in Walker’s Court—right in the thick of Soho. Pole dancing, striptease, and risqué theatrics are all on the menu. The club claims it’s here to deliver “premium entertainment” that’s “unlike any existing venue in London.” Think less dingy backroom, more high-end spectacle. And yes, they want to attract both men and women.
But not everyone’s buying the upscale sales pitch. The local opposition is in full force, painting a dystopian picture of Soho crumbling into an anarchic, neon-lit pleasure pit.
Moral Panic: Think of the Children!
The most dramatic concern? The kids, of course. Some locals are clutching their metaphorical rosary beads over the club’s proximity to Soho Parish Primary School, convinced that a strip joint within walking distance will warp young minds and unleash a crime wave.
“It’s not rocket science that the more sex venues you cram into one area, the more crime and disorder you get,” one resident huffed. Another lamented that Westminster Council is “exposing children to harm rather than protecting them.”
The hysteria doesn’t stop there. One longtime resident declared the situation a “crisis point,” claiming the club will bring “more crime and prostitution” to a part of town already teeming with late-night mischief. “I’m regularly approached by pimps and drug dealers,” they added, painting an image of Soho that sounds straight out of a 1970s crime flick.
The Penthouse Club: Vice With a Veneer of Class
Meanwhile, the club itself is standing its ground. Their argument? Soho’s legendary nightlife has been sanitized into oblivion, and they’re here to restore some of its lost soul. A spokesperson shot back at critics, dismissing the idea that Soho is still overloaded with strip clubs and instead calling out the neighborhood’s descent into corporate blandness.
And not everyone in town is up in arms. A local couple came forward in support, praising the club’s sleek design and professional branding, distancing it from the old-school “clip joints” that once preyed on naive tourists.
The Game Plan: Sext, But Make it Classy
The Penthouse Club is looking to operate seven days a week, from 10 AM to 3 AM most nights, with a slightly tamer Sunday schedule. The cost of entry? A cool £25, or you can go full VIP with table reservations starting at £125 per person.
The entertainment isn’t just about nudity—think burlesque, acrobatics, and Cirque du Soleil-level performances. Table-side dancing is also in the mix, though management insists on “no sexual contact.” Even in VIP rooms, where full nudity is permitted, the only physical exchange allowed is the discreet transfer of cash at the start and end of a performance.
So far, Westminster Licensing Committee has logged nine objections and two letters of support. The verdict? Still pending. But one thing’s certain—whether it’s opening its doors or dying in committee, The Penthouse Club has already made a splash.
Welcome back, Soho. We missed you.
Last modified: March 3, 2025
