LONDON – Central London’s major nightlife venues face revocation of their business licenses under a local law that recently has been interpreted to ban burlesque performances without an adult entertainment license.

Burlesque, a form of striptease that devotees regard as an artistic dance form and not “adult entertainment of a sexual nature,” has been growing in popularity among clubs in London’s Camden district. Some of the most popular, most respected nightspots in the city — Roundhouse, KoKo and the Proud Gallery among them — offer at least one night of burlesque entertainment weekly, featuring big-name acts like Dita von Teese and attracting a celebrity clientele including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Winehouse and Pixie Geldof.

Camden Council wants the burlesque shows to stop. Any clubs that wish to continue to the risqué performances must apply for the same license held by gentlemen’s cabarets and undergo the same background checks.

The clubs’ owners are shocked and offended.

“’Proud is a million miles away from a strip club,” Proud Gallery owner Alex Proud told London’s Daily Mail.

Burlesque performers are none too happy about being labeled common strippers, either.

“The kind of performances we were doing at Proud were very classic burlesque, very innocent,” burlesque performer Roxy Velvet told the newspaper.

The council remains firm in its conviction that any entertainment featuring the removal of significant portions of one’s clothing is adult-ish, however.

“Camden’s licensing policy states that any premises in the borough that wishes to offer entertainment involving nudity, striptease or other entertainment of an adult nature will need approval from the licensing authority,” a council statement noted. “Burlesque falls within this criteria.”