ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the scene of the strip-based industry in the UK at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It describes the industry within the broader sociological changes of the night-time economy expansion and the economic and cultural mainstreaming of the sex industry on a macro and global level as well as at a local level. The chapter examines whether strip work is actually part of the sex industries, arguing that it does constitute part of the sex industries in that what is commodified in the exchange is a sexualized service and labour process. It examines the historical landscapes that provide the backdrop for the development of the industry and demonstrate the ways in which it has changed, particularly in relation to new regimes of licensing and regulation. This chapter talks about the historical and contemporary characteristics of the UK strip industry, its development, diversity and current operating practices.
