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Daily Mail
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How OnlyFans killed off the strip club: Number of venues falls to lowest level in over a decade
Strip clubs are dying out – and experts blame OnlyFans. Only 103 premises still exist in England, Scotland and Wales, figures suggest. This is down from around 155 in 2022. Nick Ede, one of the UK's most esteemed experts on popular culture, told MailOnline: 'OnlyFans has totally killed the strip club. 'People are now tipping sex workers and strippers using their phones, rather than slipping a 10 pound note in a thong. 'It's also a clear generational thing, too. Strip clubs were seen as sleazy venues, now they are seen as old and out of touch with today's lifestyles.' The statistics, obtained by MailOnline under Freedom of Information laws, also show how standalone sex shops are vanishing. Just 42 now exist, compared to 104 in 2010. Mr Ede added: 'Sex shops will soon die a death because people purchase them from online shops which package and post them discreetly.' MailOnline sent FOI requests to all 350 local authorities responsible for issuing sexual establishment licences in England, Scotland and Wales. Under current laws, all sex premises – including pole dancing venues and standalone shops selling sex toys and paraphernalia – have to apply for new operating licences (SEV) each year. Applications can cost businesses up to £10,000, although fees vary wildly across the country. Campaigners fighting to keep the sex worker industry alive say the rules have given council bosses 'much greater powers over whether to keep them open'. In total, 184 councils have taken no SEV applications at all since 2010 – when the new rules came into play. The amendment was proposed and passed after a series of objections from local councils to the formation of new or operation of existing strip clubs on the grounds of the impact on the community. Edinburgh, Swansea and Exeter councils have even introduced 'nil cap' orders, which effectively ban new sex venues from opening. Only 50 strip clubs that were licensed in 2010 remain open today. Birmingham is the strip club capital of the country, with 21 active establishments. Liverpool (10), Newcastle Upon Tyne (10) and Manchester (8) follow behind. Meanwhile, Cardiff, Birmingham and Wolverhampton all lay claim to having the most sex shops, with four apiece. Experts believe the erosion of strip clubs and sex shops reflects the overall trend of British nightlife. Around a quarter of UK adults are thought to be teetotal, jumping to over a third of Gen Z, meaning less punters are likely to cross the strip club thresholds after a night out on the town. A 2021 YouGov poll suggests that only a quarter of men would support banning strip clubs outright, with the figure reaching over 40 per cent for women. And earlier research from the pollster shows that the majority of people in Britain think it is acceptable for a person in a relationship to go to a strip club on a stag or hen do. But the advent of OnlyFans has reshaped how some young people engage with sexual content, some experts believe. Data from Ipsos Iris show that in January, 4.4 per cent of the British population – or 2.2m people – visited the site. This was up 64 per cent in a year. Audrey Jones, a campaigner for DecrimNow – the unofficial union for sex workers, disagreed with Mr Ede. She said: 'I don't think OnlyFans has made an impact at all. 'This trend (the decline of strip clubs) was happening way before OnlyFans was a thing. 'They work in different markets and big groups of lads on stag dos... don't go on OnlyFans.' Proliferation of free online porn and cheap subscriptions to creators on OnlyFans does present a cheaper alternative to real life encounters in strip clubs. Ms Jones told MailOnline: 'Strippers are some of the first to talk about when a recession is coming because their customer base is the first thing to go.' Venues don't require SEV licenses if sexual entertainment takes place less than once a month. Sixteen councils didn't respond to our FOI request. Others refused to supply figures. High Street stores such as Anne Summers and Agent Provocateur weren't included in the analysis because they don't need licences to operate.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Diogo Jota's widow arrives ahead of tragic striker's funeral as Liverpool stars and rest of heartbroken football world prepare to say goodbye
The grieving wife of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota has arrived ahead of his funeral in Portugal later today. Rute Cardoso, who married the 28-year-old footballer less than a month before his tragic death alongside his brother Andre Silva on Thursday, appeared outside the church on Saturday ahead of the procession at 10am. It came after several members of the current Premier League side touched down in Jota's hometown of Gondomar on Friday before visiting the Chapel of the Resurrection where the body of the 28-year-old and his brother lay at rest. Players including Virgil Van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and manager Arne Slot were given a round of applause by local mourners as they passed through the streets to visit the chapel last night. A handful of former Liverpool stars also made the trip, among them Brighton 's James Milner and Ajax's Jordan Henderson. The latter jetted to Portugal after paying a heartfelt tribute during a tearful return to Anfield earlier in the day. Henderson was Jota's captain when the Portuguese star arrived at the club in September 2020, the pair quickly developing a close friendship, and the England international was left in a state of disbelief by the news of his death. A host of Premier League stars including Manchester City icon Bernardo Silva, Manchester United 's Diogo Dalot and Nottingham Forest 's Jota Silva have also made the trip to Portugal ahead of the funeral taking place at 10am today. Father-of-three Jota died on Thursday morning when their green 200mph £180,000 Lamborghini Huracan burst into flames after a suspected tyre blowout along a highway near Zamora in north-west Spain. Liverpool teammates past and present flew to Portugal to pay their respects, including Virgil Van Dijk (left), Alexis Mac Allister (centre, with hands in pocket), Caoimhin Kelleher (third from right) and Andy Robertson (second from right) Mourners sobbed and carried roses and national team scarves in homage to Jota, who won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal less than a month ago. Aerial footage showed queues stretching from the small chapel, around the corner to the nearby church where his funeral will be held. Jota's heartbroken wife and parents gathered at a wake and held a vigil at the coffins of the former Wolves striker and his brother. Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who married the 28-year-old footballer on June 22, walked into the chapel in Gondomar after returning with her husband's body from Spain on Thursday. The city overlooking Porto is where the couple, who share three children, met and started dating as teenagers. Diogo and Andre's mother Isabel, father Joaquim and their grandfather were also emotional on arriving at the chapel. Joaquim hugged several people and was supported by his brother and later raised a hand to mourners as he left with his wife. They returned around an hour later 'We're available to celebrate [their life] with everyone and to share the pain and the Christian hope,' Macedo told CN.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Is THIS Britain's saddest seaside shopping centre? Locals say the once-bustling mall is now a 'ghost town' with just three shops left open and addicts prowling the precinct
A seaside resort's 'ghost town' shopping centre has become the latest casualty of a downward spiral which had seen the area plagued by drunks and vandals. Over the years, Scarborough in North Yorkshire, once known as Queen of the Watering Places, has seen many High Street names disappear forever. Once the main street was dominated by classy department stores such as W Rowntree & Sons, which had its own commissionaires (uniformed doormen), and Debenhams. Now, they have been replaced by vape shops, budget stores, secondhand and charity shops, and gift shops selling tat. Its Grand Hotel, once the resort's jewel in the crown, is now run down and caters to people wanting only the cheapest seaside breaks. Now, the Brunswick Centre, the once bustling shopping precinct unveiled in a blaze of glory in the 1980s, is just a shell of its former self. Only three shops remain and they, too, are due to close soon - and plans to reopen the site as a cinema and retail complex have been greeted with scepticism by locals. The Brunswick Centre, the once bustling shopping precinct unveiled in a blaze of glory in the 1980s, is now just a shell of its former self Pete Nendick, 56, was a contract cleaner at The Brunswick for years but lost his job when management changed and they made new arrangements. He said: 'The shopping centre looks terrible at the moment. I used to be a cleaner. here. I was born and bred in Scarborough. 'I know what it used to look like and how it is now. It used to be great. I remember coming here when I was little. 'You could get anything I here and it used to be heaving. Now you get a lot of drunks around here in the morning. 'There are addicts hanging around waiting for Boots [to open] first thing in the morning. I worked for an agency but was told in September that it is closing down and they are using their own cleaners. 'Towards the end, someone came in every day asking, "When is it closing? What is happening to it?" All I know is it is a case of "watch this space". 'I have been looking at the picture of [plans of] how it is supposed to look but believing is seeing. I am going to miss it if it does close down because I love coming here.' Jenny and Steve Bray, both 71, originally from Leeds, have just moved back to earby Bridlington, where Jenny's late parents lived, after 38 years in Australia. They decided to pop over to Scarborough for the day to check out the shops and were shocked by the state of the shopping centre. Jenny said: 'We remember when Debenhams was here. It was a great store. We used to come here to shop. 'So it is just such a shame. It is all very well having a cinema, but who goes to the cinema any more? 'We have seen a bit of trouble. We stayed in a hotel in Scarborough for a few weeks when we moved back from Australia. Plans to reopen the site as a cinema and retail complex have been greeted with scepticism Also looking around the derelict shops in disbelief were Colin and Sue Winnington, from Cheshire. They have been staying in Whitby and reckon it is now far superior to Scarborough as a tourist destination. Asked what they thought of the shopping centre, Sue, 80, replied: 'Not a lot. We were here a few years ago and it was nice. 'It is only two years since we have been here and we could not believe it. But I cannot see these precincts coming back. 'Our own local shopping centre has closed and they are going to build more flats, but we already have loads of flats. Nodding in agreement, Colin, 86, added: 'I doubt this redevelopment is going to happen. Online has been the demise of these places. 'Why get in car and drive miles, pay five pounds to park, and then have to pay top prices? 'Often they have not even got what you want but Amazon can deliver it to your doorstep the next day. 'It is a shame because closing shopping centres costs people their jobs but it is happening everywhere.' They had planned to book into the luxury Sands Sea Front self-catering holiday apartments in Scarborough but it was too expensive, so have decided to stay in Whitby instead. Sarah Wellard, 33, from Bridlington, said: 'I don't think they will do anything with this place however nice the pictures look. 'It is like a ghost town in here. One of my friends was over and said you don't want to go in there. But he did and could not believe it. 'It is everywhere, though. Everywhere is shutting down, and Bridlington is the same. I used to come to the Brunswick all the time. 'There used to be loads of shops here and it was great. Woolworths in Scarborough was great as well. You could always get a bargain. 'Scarborough is not as bad in the day as it is at night when all the p***heads come out. The redevelopment is supposed to be starting next year. 'I hope it turns out nice and a cinema would bring in a lot of people - provided it gets built and is not so expensive that the ticket prices scare everybody off. 'It is shame. It used to be very popular. But people do not want to go out to shop any more because there are too many morons around.' Wayne Owen, 40, from Sheffield, said: 'It is all going downhill in Sheffield, too. But Scarborough is a real dump. 'There are a lot of pound shops in Scarborough and a hell of a lot of charity shops. It is nothing like when I went to the seaside as a kid.' Gesturing at the shuttered shops, Alexander Robson scoffed: 'What shopping centre? 'If the cinema opens and we get new shops, it might bring the place back to life. We will have to wait and see what happens. 'I remember coming here as a kid with my dad. I spent way too much time in Toyland and my dad spent way too much money. Now it is all gone.' The 130,000sq ft mall now attracts only a handful of shoppers who wander aimlessly around the lower floor with nothing to do but leave again. Only three shops remain - New Look, which closes on September 5; Retail Phone Access, which is holding a closing down sale and shuts on August 17, and Next, which is also due to close for good though no date has been set. Scarborough Group International, a leading property regeneration and placemaking specialist, and owner of the Brunswick, announced towards the end of last year that the centre will be renamed Square One (SQ1). It has also announced plans for extensive redevelopment works that aim to see it transformed into a vibrant, leisure-led destination including an Odeon multiplex. However, locals are taking the idea with a pinch of salt. Council bosses have been struggling to attract a new cinema to the resort for nearly 20 years and so far the attempts have come to nothing. More stores closed at Christmas - including Clinton Cards, and the flagship Holland & Barrett, which left its prime site next to the mall's entrance and moved to a new High Street site 100m away. Outside, the resort's main Westborough shopping street is heaving with shoppers who said the demise of the Brunswick was symptomatic of the decline of the town centre in general. The former historic Post Office now stands derelict, covered in bird droppings since it was relocated inside WH Smith's. The town's Stephen Joseph Theatre remains a vibrant attraction at the top of the town - but just around the corner are graffiti daubed streets with day-time drinkers, run down houses and bedsits, and shabby boarded-up buildings. Ironically, the town's former Atlantis swimming pool, now a derelict site on the North Bay, which has barriers around the empty space - is also promising to be the site of the town's new cinemas.
