A SWINGERS’ club has been granted permission to become a permanent fixture.

The Lexden-based Mingles club opened last August after securing permission to become a private members’ club for one year only.

Now owners Jason Woolf and Rebecca Freeman have been given permission for the club, at 66a London Road, to remain there permanently.

It follows a consultation period in which two comments of support and just two objections had been made to Colchester Council.

The application attracted particularly strong opposition from Andy Hamilton, of Acland Avenue, Lexden, who claimed the club is “no better than a brothel”.

He has spent many evenings outside the club protesting against it and has described the decision to grant permission as “astonishing”.

But Mr Woolf said: “We are delighted to receive permanent planning permission for our business and would like to thank Colchester’s planning and licensing departments for their support and professionalism in handling what appears to have been a sensitive case.

“We were confident that our private members’ club would not cause disturbance or have any negative impact to the area and we are thankful for having the opportunity to prove this, which has been confirmed by the absence of any complaints about the club from neighbouring properties.”

Mr Woolf said the membership of the club – which is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights – is “steadily growing as more couples understand the communicative benefits and friendships that an adult lifestyle club can bring to their own relationship”.

Prior to the opening, nearby residents had expressed concerns over the activities which would be going on in the club – which has a “kinky corner” and runs fetish nights – but Colchester Council licensing officers said it had operated “without any significant issues”.

Dozens of customers have attended each night the club has been open.

According to figures published on Colchester Council’s website, the highest attendance on one occasion was 54.

More than 40 per cent of the club’s customers are from north Essex, while almost 1 in 10 members live in the CO3 postcode area, which covers Stanway, Lexden and Fordham Heath.