Semi-naked customers fled into the street after masked gang raided swingers club

Police are hunting a masked gang who raided a Birmingham swingers club, attacking a man and a woman and sending semi-naked customers fleeing into the street. Three men targeted Tudor Lounge, based at the 400-year-old Stratford House in Highgate, just after 9.30pm last Wednesday. One man, aged 53, was punched to the ground, while a woman was pushed during the raid at the timber-framed, Grade II listed property – built in 1601 in the reign of Elizabeth I.



The gang fled empty-handed but the raid added to local concerns about the business, which has temporary planning permission as a private members’ club from Birmingham City Council. One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “Masked men ran into the club and we then saw lots of customers, half-naked or wrapped in towels and mostly men, pouring out into the street. Residents feel the club is potentially attracting a criminal element to the area. It’s not what people had in mind when they settled here.

“We feel the planning application for a private members’ club was a very clever one in that those who even knew about it did not realise it would be a swingers’ club. It seems to be busy most nights and Saturday night particularly so. Residents are now having problems parking their own cars , there have been some incidents of parking rows with visitors to the club. There’s been some lewd behaviour in the area around the club, people coming out kissing and all over one another. A lot of young girls live close by and parents are worried their children could be propositioned. There’s also concern about property values going down.”



A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: “Police are investigating after masked raiders gained entry to a private function at the Tudor Lounge Club in Stratford Place, Highgate, at 9.35pm on March 18. Three men wearing ski masks were seen in the corridor. “One man, aged 53, was punched in the head, resulting in him falling to the floor. He was treated for a cut to his nose and bump to his head. Another woman was pushed, but not injured. No weapons were seen. The men then left the building. Nothing was reported stolen. Police enquiries are on-going into the incident. No arrests have been made at this stage.”