An Auckland strip club's half-time strip show during last year's Rugby World Cup did not breach licensing agreements, despite police protests.

Police conducted a check at the White House on October 11 just after 5.30am and found the television was off and a stripper was dancing on stage.

The White House's duty manager at the time told police it was because it was the half-time break and there were only advertisements on, and the television was then turned on for the second half of the game.

Chris McKeen The White House adult entertainment centre on Queen St, Auckland was found to be acting in accordance with licensing rules during the Rugby World Cup

Police were unconvinced, and applied to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority for the White House's licence to be suspended.

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Under provisions of the act covering extended trading hours during the World Cup, licensed premises were allowed to extend trading hours if the main reason for this was to let customers watch the televised games. The act allowed premises to open for an hour before the start of the games and up to 30 minutes afterwards.

Police said the strip show was in breach of the requirements for the extended opening hours.

Patrons were watching a dancer on stage instead of the rugby during the hours in which the brothel was to be open solely for the purposes of watching the game, police said.

In a decision published on Wednesday, the authority dismissed the police's application, saying other activities could be undertaken during that period provided those other activities were not the main reason for being open.

"That the TV was off and a dancer performing for the half time break, does not speak to the primary purpose of opening for the duration of the entire extended trading hours," the decision said.

The authority said the police had not established that the primary reason for the White House opening was anything other than to watch the game.

A Mr McGregor, giving evidence for the White House, said he turned off the rugby a few minutes after the end of the first half and then turned it on again for the second half. During the second half the strippers were chatting with customers who were seated and watching the game.

McGregor said there was no dancing on stage while the game was on.

Police also objected to the use of outdoor smoking areas at the White House during the extended opening hours, which they said went against the brothel's statement of intent when it applied for the special licence. But the authority also dismissed this part of the application, saying there was no proof that patrons were using the smoking areas on the building's top floor.

* Note this story has been edited since it was first published. The initial story quoted the written decision of the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority which stated The White House operates as a strip club and brothel. However the White House states it is solely a strip club and that a brothel which operates below the White House premises is run by a separate company. The article has been corrected accordingly.