Morning:
13°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
Fury as Mayfair GP tries to open pole-dance club
Last updated at 23:52pm on 01.12.07
Under fire: Dr Imtiaz Sardar
Dr Imtiaz Sardar, 61, is behind the plan for scantily dressed women to perform for customers at the "adult entertainment" venue.
Companies House documents reveal that Timzia, the firm bidding to run the club at the Archway Tavern in Islington, North London, is owned by Dr Sardar, his wife Talat – a doctor at the same practice – and two of their relatives.
The documents also show that the business address of Timzia – an anagram of Dr Sardar's first name – is the same as that of his surgery in affluent Crouch End, also North London.
Now NHS chiefs are investigating the doctors' involvement.
Under plans submitted to Islington Council, dancing and drinking would take place from 9am to 5am, with customers charged an extra £20 for a "sensual" table-side performance.
Dr Sardar and his wife, also 61, have registered the surgery as their home address – but they actually live in an £800,000 apartment in Park Lane, Mayfair.
Hundreds of nearby residents have complained to the council about the lap-dancing plan.
One of the Sardars' patients, who declined to give her name, said: "I have no complaints about the care he provides – but this seems a very odd enterprise for a doctor to become involved in."
Local Liberal Democrat councillor Ursula Woolley said: "We are trying to improve this area and opening a club like this is hardly going to help.
"We were absolutely horrified when we discovered what this doctor was doing in his spare time. I know some of his patients and they were appalled.
"But the doctor does not seem to be aware of how bizarre the situation is."
Last week, Dr Sardar suffered a setback when his proposal was rejected by councillors, although he could appeal.
Scroll down for more...
Complaints: Dr Sardar's plans to open an all-night lap-dancing club at the Archway Tavern have attracted hundreds of protests
Dr Sardar, who has worked at the practice for 20 years, said: "Timzia was approached by some people who are experienced in running clubs.
"They wanted to know if the Archway Tavern could be run as a lap-dancing and pole-dancing club and they asked me to put in an application.
"At that time, it did not occur to me what the implications would be. When I became aware of the public opposition, I was quite happy when the application was turned down.
"My work as a general practitioner has nothing to do with the pub. They are two separate businesses. "I enjoy providing high-quality care to my patients and I will continue doing that."
A spokesman for Haringey Primary Care Trust, which covers the area, said: "We are looking into this and will be speaking to the doctors concerned.
"We will be launching an investigation."
Reader views (1)
I can't see what all the fuss is about. As long as everything is kept legal and above board there should be no problem & the fact he is a GP has nothing to do with it. As long as both businesses are kept seperate and doesn't interfere with him running his surgery I have no problem with it and neither should anyone else.
- Steve, Hornsey, London
