Traders united against massage parlour (From Bury Times)

Traders united against massage parlour

7:00am Sunday 15th November 2009

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BUSINESS owners have joined forces to fight plans for a controversial massage parlour in Radcliffe.

The owners of Christina’s Palace, in Water Street, will find out on Tuesday whether they can use part of the building as a massage parlour.

The rest of the building, a former fancy dress shop, will retain retail status and could be used to open a new shop.

Members of Bury Council’s planning control committee indicated they would ignore the planning department’s recommendation to approve the plan at their meeting last month.

The final decision was deferred until Tuesday to allow the council to investigate the legalities of blocking the scheme.

Now, traders in the area have spoken out against the massage parlour, which opened last year without planning permission.

Hedley Hill, owner of Ainsworth Road Garage, said: “There has been constant male traffic trespassing across my forecourt to get to Christina’s Palace.

“In addition, males park cars on my forecourt with no regard to my existing tyre business, often causing obstructions. It is having a real impact on my business.

“I realise there is a need for these places, but not on the main road close to schools. There is a moral side to it.”

Aaron Scott, owner of Sunrise Tanning Studio in Water Street, has started a petition calling for planning permission to be refused.

He said: “We need more shops here, not a massage parlour. People don’t want to come shopping around here because of Christina’s Palace. We have all noticed a slow down in trade because of the recession, but this has just made it worse. It has probably affected the value of our businesses as well.”

Rob King, co-owner of Jacques Printing in Ainsworth Road, said: “I don’t want this here. I know there is a need for places like this, but it is not the right location.

“I understand why everyone is upset about this.”

Isobel Helliwell, owner of Radcliffe Pet Store in Ainsworth Road, said: “It is definitely in the wrong place.

Men going into the back door of the building are upsetting people in the area and they are causing all sorts of problems.”

Zoran Baros, of Fuzed Architecture in Water Street, added: “It is considered that the use of part of the property as a massage parlour has a detrimental effect on our and neighbouring businesses. A stigma already exists in the area with the operation of the parlour and our staff are subjected to inappropriate comments raised by passers-by through misassociation.

“The proposed relocation of the door to the massage parlour immediately adjacent to our entrance will certainly exacerbate this state of affairs.”

Richard Dandy, chairman of Radcliffe Traders’ Association, said: “Christina’s Palace should be closed. It should not be on a main road leading into the town as it doesn’t give a good picture of the area.”

They are now encouraging other business owners and local residents to join the protest against the plans.

Only four letters of objection were sent to the council’s planning department before the committee’s meeting last month. Cllr Catherine Berry said: “It is important that everyone comes along to Tuesday’s meeting or writes letters to show the planning officers and the owners of the massage parlour that we don’t want this. I really am surprised that more people haven’t objected.

“We are trying to improve Radcliffe and turn it into a lovely, vibrant town, but a massage parlour doesn’t fit in with that.”

Cllr Michelle Wiseman said: “We are trying to get Radcliffe up and running again and a lot of new businesses have opened recently. It is frustrating that people are upset about this but haven’t formally objected. If they don’t object, then this will go ahead.”

A spokesman for the agents representing Christina’s Palace said: “Bury Council has had long enough to consider this and we are waiting to find out their logical reasons on which they might refuse it.”

The planning control committee will meet at 7pm on Tuesday in the Peel Room at Bury Town Hall.

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