ONTARIO, CANADA — A strip club named Pleasures has run into something less than enjoyable during its attempts to re-open after a two year hiatus. The club’s new owner, Rita Mary Owen, had been waiting until her request for a liquor license was granted before turning on the neon and welcoming customers into the club. But, before that could happen, the city of Hamilton yanked her business license because the unpopular club has been inactive while closed.It isn’t the first time that Owen’s professional aspirations have been thwarted by the committee. Last fall the same bylaw restriction was used against her when she tried to open Stiletto’s, her second club.

According to a representative from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Owen sought a liquor license in fall of 2004. She passed background checks and was issued a license shortly after, pending final inspection.

Unfortunately for Owen, the city of Hamilton had decided to limit the number of strip clubs to two after amalgamation. Older clubs were grandfathered in, but if licenses were pulled, not renewed, or non-existent, they were closed. Today there are two clubs where a decade ago there had been eight.

What Owen called Pleasures had passed through a number of hands before landing in hers. Along the way it had earned a reputation for noise and frequent police visits, so the city was none too enthusiastic about seeing it available for business once again.

The city’s mayor proclaims the move to be “a major breakthrough,” although the city council must still approve the decision, which it appears poised to do.