A government consultation is looking at giving local councils more power and they believe local authorities should be able to determine whether any plan for a new lap dancing club is appropriate.

Despite Mid Sussex District Council's decision to support the idea, Leo Valls, owner of Redd says he has no concerns about the consultation and believes he will still re-open the club.

Mr Valls said: "The only difference is do we have a sign outside that says lap dancing club or do we have a huge 5ft banner that says sex encounter establishment. The fact that it exists won't change a thing.

"What I do wonder though is that in so far as any definition that's sensible or that makes sense and given that all we offer here is nudity, that is intrinsically no different to some of the magazines found in WHSmith.

"So by any definition that would make this a sex encounter establishment, your local news agent has to become one too."

Currently, lap dancing bars are licensed in the same way as a pub or nightclub, giving locals little grounds for opposing the establishment of a club.

Coun Christopher Snowling, cabinet member for health and community, said: "So far as my colleagues are concerned they are aware of course that the government is carrying out consultation on this very issue of lap dancing clubs.

"They have invited me to write to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport seeking an amendment to the law so that anybody who wishes to operate not just a nightclub but a lap dancing club needs specific licensing approval for that."

Police are still searching for the arsonists who destroyed club Redd on Tuesday, July 15.

Mr Valls said: "I know full well that the police are spending a great deal of effort and energy in taking down who ever it is that did this and obviously I am looking forward to the day that we can sit back and watch who ever it is get the sentence that he or she deserves."

Click on the 'play' button to view our video report of this story, including an interview with Leo Valls and footage from inside the devastated club Redd building.