A nightclub has “no intention” to expand striptease evenings and apply for a sexual entertainment licence, according to the manager.

Bosses from the Maltings Entertainment Complex in Stowmarket presented their case for a new premises licence at a Mid Suffolk District Council meeting yesterday (Monday).

The application included a reference to striptease nights which have started to run at the complex’s nightclub, Carbon.

But the committee heard the “pole-dancing, striptease, lap dancing or burlesque nights” can only run 11 times a year at the nightclub under a legal loophole. The Policing and Crime Act 2009 contains an exemption which allows venues to host events, such as striptease, occasionally without the need for a sexual entertainment licence.

Clive Crowe, general manager of the nightclub, said there was “no intention” to run more frequent events. “We had one previous event which was ticketed, it was a ladies’ night which had male striptease,” he said.

“It’s really just a sub-section of the law, there are no major plans of anything to use a sex licence as such.”

Mid Suffolk councillor, Martin Redbond, asked whether children eating at the site’s The Mill Bar and Grill restaurant could get access to the nightclub. Mr Crowe said children would not be allowed to enter the nightclub.

The meeting was called after residents claimed they were struggling to sleep because of noise coming from the club at 4am on weekends.

Their complaints are focused on revellers who leave the club and congregate around a burger van on the site run by Chris Collins, the committee heard.

Mr Crowe admitted the club’s seven door supervisors could only control customers on their property but added work had been done to provide mini-bus and tax services nearby.

He read out a statement on behalf of the complex’s owner, Robert Perry. “The building is in good condition, containing the sound, there’s next to no leakage of noise,” he said.

“We do regular sound checks to demonstrate this. We want to make it a place in Stowmarket for people for enjoy evenings in a safe and controlled environment.”

The meeting heard that different nightclubs have run from the site for 40 years.

Mr Crowe also read a statement by Mr Collins. “It is not the burger van that causes the extra noise level it is what happens around any area of late night venue, restaurants, pubs, complexes etc. We respect the surrounding areas and neighbours and are doing all we can to run a business in a responsible manner. We have had many compliments about the service that we provide. In response to the request from Pickerel Court Residents Association: the suggestion to close the van at 11.30pm – that is not a viable proposal.”

The committee voted to grant the new premise licence but restricted the time the burger van can operate until, which will be from 3.45am to 2.30am on Friday and Saturdays.