EXCLUSIVE: Amy Gwynn runs Rude, the UK’s biggest strip club frequented by businessmen and lower-league footballers, and invited the Daily Star inside to learn just how it works
The woman who runs the UK’s biggest strip club has revealed what really goes on behind the scenes – and it’s not as glamorous as you might expect.
While her dancers might spend most of their evenings half-naked entertaining the club’s clientele, backstage is a different story.
“Quite often I’ll go to their dressing area, and one of the girls will be lounging around in an avocado onesie,” revealed Amy Gwynn, owner of Liverpool strip club Rude.
“Back there, it’s not sexy, it’s quite heartwarming and fun. I’m a mum to four kids so the girls at work keep me cool – it’s an honour to be in their world every weekend,” said Amy, in an exclusive chat with the Daily Star.
Former model Amy, 37, didn’t always have such a good relationship with her dancers. “When I took on the club I’d never danced before and it massively went against me – I had no respect in the industry because I was a woman, and who was I to tell the girls what to do. There was a clear divide and I took all kinds of s*** from them. The only way I could break that down was by understanding them and learning from them. Now I look back and laugh.”
Once the club was up and running, Amy got creative to maximise earnings. She said: “There’s only so many dancers you can have, so I created VIP packages – we get businessmen, lower league footballers and people like that in, who don’t want to sit with everyone else. I wanted to make them feel important so now we’ve got VIP booths and a VIP area where you get a panoramic view of the club. It makes better money for me and the girls.”
When new rules came in during the pandemic, she introduced live dance shows, table service and allowed customers to buy ‘dollars’ to throw at the scantily-clad women on stage – which remains part of the Rude experience now. “I always try to think outside the box.”
Her savvy business decisions have certainly paid off. “Bar bills can be crazy. The biggest we’ve ever had is around £20,000 from a customer who brought along corporate clients. The highest earnings one of the dancers made in a night was around £6,000.
“We are a prestigious, expensive bar with strict protocols, so we don’t really get any trouble from customers. The clientele is a lot of business owners, doctors, or international customers who are in the city for the football, or a corporate event.
“We have a no phones policy for the clients and the dancers, plus cameras in all the booths and security staff around the club. I’m very particular about who comes in.”
And it turns out there’s no such thing as your ‘average stripper’, as Amy explained: “We do get people who are from hard backgrounds, but we’ve also had NHS workers, young students, people who have kids.
“One girl who’s going to study medicine at university saved up all her fees before she even started her course. But it’s not always guaranteed – you could earn £2,000 one week and barely break even the next – so I encourage them to be careful with their money. They’re not all walking in with Hermes bags.”
Putting the dancers’ wellbeing first is what Amy says has made Rude a success. She said: “About 16 months after I opened Rude, I got an interior designer and we created a bespoke dressing and makeup room. I wanted a place where the girls can sit, eat, chill, with great lights for doing their makeup.
“People thought I was mad investing in a place that customers don’t get to see, but it was the best thing I’ve done.”
As well as creating a nicer environment for the dancers, the new aesthetic made the perfect backdrop for selfies at a time when Instagram was taking off.
“Back then, people weren’t making content like they are now, but the girls started posting pictures on their profile and suddenly more dancers started wanting to be here; I had people coming from London and Scotland wanting a job. It encouraged people to not be ashamed of working in the industry.
Shame is something Amy admits she’s felt herself. “I remember going to baby groups when I had my kids and dreading being asked where I worked.
“Now I’m much more confident and if people do judge me it doesn’t bother me because it only comes from insecure, unhappy people. I’ve met the most amazing women, who think what I do is so interesting and appreciate the fact that I’m creating a space where I’m putting the girls first.”
But Amy does insist on strict rules for her dancers. She said: “The girls have to pay a fee if they’re late and can lose their shift. It’s about discipline.”
While the dancers do the hard work in the club, it’s Amy who grafts 40 to 50 hours a week and insists on being there every Saturday night from 3pm to 6am. She said: “The trade off for me was my 20s were non-existent in terms of a social life. I worked and raised kids. People say life is all about balance, but I don’t believe in that.
“There’s things I’ve missed out on but I’ve met so many great people doing this – it’s been my baby. When I come here on a Saturday night, I’m home.”