Councilors said they are powerless to stop the Pilgrims Sports Bar from opening at the site where the Puritans boarded the Mayflower and set sail for North America in 1620, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

The Licensing Act categorizes pole dancing clubs as places of leisure rather than part of the sex industry.

However, Devon county police said they are still seeking to stop the establishment from opening because they fear a pole dancing bar could bring "trouble" to the historic area.

"This would import a lot of people into the area who would not otherwise be there and cause a lot of trouble which would be difficult to deal with," said David Campbell, counsel for the Chief Constable.