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Dancers staged a counter-protest during a demonstration against a strip club opening in Fife.

News that Sin is to be launched in Kirkcaldy next week has polarised opinion in the town, with petitions both for and against it.

As a new women’s group claimed it would exploit females working there, a small group of supporters waved placards proclaiming freedom of choice.

© George Mccluskey

Around 40 people gathered in the Town Square, opposite the Hunter Street club, for the demonstration by Women Together in Fife.

Founder Marie Penman pointed out that Scottish Government guidance classified stripping as a form of violence against women and girls.

She also claimed the self-employed dancers would have no employment rights and no guaranteed income and cited research in Glasgow which heard those in the industry were often paid by customers in 20 pence pieces.

She said: “That’s not a job, that’s slave labour. We don’t want it in Kirkcaldy. Fife Council should be making a stand against this.

“You don’t get a guaranteed salary, you get whatever money is shoved at you or stuffed in your underwear at the end of the night.

“Women are worth more than that. They shouldn’t be getting paid in small change by drunk, leering men.”

Among a handful of people on the other side of the road supporting the club was 19-year-old Abbi Gallagher, of Auchtertool, who intends to use her earnings as a dancer to pay off her student loan.

She said: “If a woman wants to get naked for money, it’s her own choice.”

Club owner Mario Caira said he was disappointed there was such a furore over the issue when the country was in the midst of issues such as Brexit.

He said: “There has to be more people could direct their anger towards than a lap dancing venue opening in Kirkcaldy.

“We will have males and females working for us in a place where everybody is welcome.

© George Mccluskey

“We have been in the entertainment industry for decades, my father before me, and we are doing nothing wrong.

“We are providing entertainment and a venue which, ultimately, people will choose whether to use or not, whether to work in or not.”

Sin will be above the Kitty’s nightclub and is permitted by the same licence, so no application to Fife Council was necessary.