City of London municipal by-law enforcement officers recently completed proactive business licence inspections of adult body rub and live entertainment parlours in London. The inspections focused on record keeping, cleanliness and panic alarm testing.
As a result of the inspections, a body rub parlour operating under the business name of Sweet City, was issued four penalties for non-attendance of an operator on-site and for not producing attendant records. Additionally, on Friday, December 16, the City was made aware that business owner Abe Vergara was convicted of six counts of sexual assault against employees.
Subsequently, Sweet City’s business licence has been suspended and revoked effective Tuesday, December 20, 2022.
“One of the key areas of focus in the City’s strategic plan is creating a safe London for women and girls,” says Orest Katolyk, Director, Municipal Compliance. “This strategic pillar is addressed through business licensing regulations and proactive compliance inspections focused on public health and safety.”
The City works in partnership with several community agencies to ensure premises like these are safe and compliant. London City Council unanimously endorsed the Safe Cities London initiative in 2017 when London signed on to the United Nations’ Women Safe Cities initiative.