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Massage parlour plan causes a stir (From Daily Echo)
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Massage parlour plan causes a stir in North Baddesley
3:58pm Monday 8th October 2012 in Romsey
By Patrick Knox, Senior Reporter
The shop at the St John Centre, Botley Road, North Baddesley
IT’S not the usual service you would expect to find in a rural Hampshire village.
But now a Thai massage parlour is being recommended for sleepy North Baddesley near Romsey.
Planners are being advised to approve the salon which offers exotic massage techniques for stressed-out villagers in a former florist shop in Botley Road.
But the scheme has caused a stir in the village and courted controversy among angry neighbours.
Some have written to Test Valley Borough Council objecting to the plan claiming it would attract “undesirables” and pave the way for “dirty book shops and sex shops”.
But the people behind the salon have moved to allay concerns.
Husband and wife William and Wandee Ford said they will simply offer an ancient form of treatment for muscular aches and pains, toning and for pure physical and mental relaxation.
Their representative Mervyn McFarland told the Daily Echo: “Our clients’ proposal is to operate a traditional salon offering medical massage, including deep tissue massage, for the treatment of muscular aches and pains, particularly back, shoulder and neck problems and sports injuries as well as for the treatment of stress and anxiety.”
Mrs Ford has been a medically trained masseuse for the past seven years and is now seeking to set up her own massage salon.
Open until 8.30pm, the salon will employ two fulltime staff and two part-time.
But those objecting fear it is in the wrong place.
Concerned neighbours have written to the borough council fearing that people may get the wrong idea and assume there may be “sexual activity involved”
and that “clients would pose a threat to women and children in the area”.
North Baddesley Parish Council is also opposed.
Parish councillor Ann Tupper said: “I have not heard the other side but at the moment I am concerned.
“My personal view is that I don’t believe it’s a very good reflection on the village, or on the type of village we are, to have such a retail outlet if you can call it that, on such a prominent position.”
However, planning officers said there would be “no adverse impacts on the character and appearance of the area”
and have received six letters from villagers supporting the salon.
Comments(16)
Nicole23
says...
4:14pm Mon 8 Oct 12
sarfhamton
says...
4:15pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Shoong
says...
4:18pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Concerned neighbours have written to the borough council fearing that people may get the wrong idea and assume there may be “sexual activity involved”.
Well if they turn up expecting sexual favours then they'll be turned away and won't come back.
“My personal view is that I don’t believe it’s a very good reflection on the village, or on the type of village we are, to have such a retail outlet if you can call it that, on such a prominent position.”
So obviously there is no 'massaging' behind closed doors in the village then.
The attitude of little villagers is quaint and amusing in one way but just incredibly stupid in many others.
Subject48
says...
4:36pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Duck tape - check
muscle car- check
shovel - check
Wait Georgem Im right behind you.
Parish councillor Ann Tupper said: “I have not heard the other side but at the moment I am concerned"
This is the most archaic approach to any issue if I have ever seen one. This person has power to lead and guide other people? jeeez...
its a massage place not a brothel. I mean cmon.... Whats going to happen to the children exactly? The i-pad grandma bought them for their birthday will let them acces all the sex related material they could need anyhow.
MikeInHythe
says...
5:09pm Mon 8 Oct 12
miltonarcher
says...
5:14pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Georgem
says...
5:14pm Mon 8 Oct 12
MikeInHythe wrote:Opened by a Mr S. Todd! Egads!
Iv'e also heard there's plans to open a pie shoppe next to the Hairdressers !
cantthinkofone
says...
5:56pm Mon 8 Oct 12
miltonarcher wrote:I suspect it's worse than that.
What a non story. Those objecting must have minds like cess pits, they automatically associate massage with sex. Get a life for pities sake. As for Parish councillor Ann Tupper, pathetic response, check the full facts before commenting next time.
I wonder if the same reaction would have occurred if the word 'Thai' wasn't featured. I suspect not.
In which case, those objecting are essentially a bunch of casual racists, with a cartoon stereotype of Thais in their heads, as borderline pr0stitutes.
Subject48
says...
6:06pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Yep that about sums it up also for a greta number of the british public still i fear. People got left behind when the world moved foreward.
Nicole23
says...
7:30pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Here, There
says...
7:50pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Vix1
says...
9:05pm Mon 8 Oct 12
cantthinkofone
says...
9:15pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Vix1 wrote:"riff raff"
"the kind of village we are"?????? The kind of village North Baddesley has become is exactly why we have moved out of it. Full of riff raff and trouble makers. Don't see how it can really get any worse?! I don't condone this type of establishment though.
lol
Redondo Saint
says...
10:12pm Mon 8 Oct 12
MikeInHythe wrote:I would be very worried by this news. Making pies openly avilable to children and the vulnerable is of great concern.
Iv'e also heard there's plans to open a pie shoppe next to the Hairdressers !
The hairdressers is a non-starter due to the offence this will cause to follically challenged 'citizens'.
peter sowerby
says...
7:43pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Georgem says...
4:10pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Anyways, the table legs have been adversely affecting my sexual ardour, so I'm off to take a hansom carriage to Whitechapel, where I shall relieve myself by killing prostitutes.