Four adult entertainment venues that closed down in Birmingham

Not all leisure venues in Birmingham are meant to be family-friendly. From nightclubs to gentlemen’s clubs - there are some places that strictly don’t allow children. People visit these venues for events like hen dos to bachelor parties and more.

However, these niche venues don’t always stay in business and many have closed down due to various reasons.

All adult entertainment venues in Birmingham need a sexual entertainment venue licence to run them. Sexual entertainment venues typically stage entertainment such as lap dancing, pole dancing, table dancing, strip shows, peep shows and live sex shows, according to Birmingham City Council’s website.

However, if the premises provide such entertainment less frequently than once a month they don’t need to apply for a licence. These venues get a licence for 12 months and it has to be renewed after that.

Here are some of the adult entertainment venues in Birmingham that closed down over the years:

1. Legs Eleven

Legs Eleven in Birmingham was a famous lap dancing venue. It was reportedly frequented by TV celebrities and sports personalities. It closed in July 2017 after a police raid. It was located in Broad Street and Chinatown. The club lost its licence after customers were allegedly drugged and more than £90,000 was taken in credit card overpayments, according to the BBC.

2. The Rocket Club

This was another Broad Street venue that was shut down after bailiffs seized this gentlemen’s club. This club was closed down in November 2022 and has been repossessed by the landlords.

3. Wildcats

In 2008, Wildcats - which was run by The Provocative Group (Birmingham) Limited - went out of business and closed down. It was reportedly closed as a result of the global financial crisis.

4. Bubbles

An adult entertainment venue in Bearwood, Hagley Road closed down after a police visit. It was later used as a massage parlour - which was also shut down eventually.