Dancers at some clubs have union recognition, but GMB Scotland rep Megara Furie said self-employed workers are struggling due to 'dwindling' numbers of customers.

The dominatrix described clubs in Glasgow as 'ghost towns' due to Covid-19.

Megara said: "As is widely known, pubs and clubs can't claim their insurance until the government tells them to close so strip clubs in Glasgow are still open but they are ghost towns in terms of footfall, impacting negatively on earnings of self- employed dancers in each club.

"Dancers in 7th Heaven, where we have union recognition, are honouring booked shifts but with dwindling customers coming in it's becoming an exercise in futility and the pressure is being felt across the board.

"Many workers in the often heavily stigmatised adult industry find themselves unable to change job, which only adds to the uncertainty and stress and leaves these workers in a catch-22 situation.

"Some workers are mothers, carers, sole breadwinners for their household so the effects of losing their income with no government safety net will be nothing short of devastating for them.

"The government aid plan is to reduce rates on business premises but this will help club owners not dancers themselves, who are being thrown under the bus by the lack of help in this precarious situation.

"We need the government to step up and start supporting self employed workers who don't have a fixed premises to benefit from rate reductions and are not covered by insurance because of their adult industry work status.

"This is the least they can do for an industry which has fewer options than most.

"As a trade union representing dancers in Scotland, we ask that if the Scottish or UK government won't step in that local councils will consider taking measures if they have the powers to.

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Coronavirus in Scotland: Lapdancers facing ‘dwindling numbers’ of customers