Downtown peep show survives city closure bid

The city has failed in its attempt to shut down the peep show on King Street East for six months -- a move that would have temporarily cleared the downtown core of its last adult entertainment venue.

Instead, council voted last night to ban the peep show from renting adult videos or screening them in its 29 private booths. The venue, Show World, is still permitted to show porn in six theatres with a total of 99 seats.

The city's licensing tribunal originally recommended that Show World be shuttered completely for six months for violating the city's bylaws. On four occasions between December 2008 and August 2009, city bylaw officers found adult videos were being displayed or played where they're not supposed to be.

Councillor Brad Clark introduced a revised motion to only close private booths at last night's council meeting after being advised the city didn't have the legal authority to shut the peep show completely. Show World's six theatres operate under provincial licensing, meaning the city has no power to stop them from screening adult videos there.

"You need the administrative authority to remove a licence," Clark said. "In Canadian law, municipalities have the authority over the licence we issue only."