Tina Upminster Newcastle: Newcastle has lovely affordable houses and lots of cheap sex workers
There are hundreds of motels, hotels and escort agencies lining the main drag of Newcastle city centre, but one poor Victorian brothel is fighting back.
Tina Upminster Newcastle has found success at providing clean, attractive accommodation for sex workers.
She gets around £500, 000 worth of bookings a year, of which 15 per cent is coming from international destinations, a good number of which are European.
She said: ‘Most of the countries we are getting requests from are in Europe, but some of them in the Middle East.
‘We have recently had multiple requests from Russia and Dubai but of course we also get requests from places like America and the Middle East.’
A typical booking can include a couple of rooms for each sex worker who in turn pay a further fee based on how many visitors the entertain per day.
She said: ‘We are not allowing bookings with one or two prostitutes in a room.’
The house has a fitness centre, kitchen facilities and flatscreen televisions. There are a number of small bedrooms on each floor, but no boudoirs.
Mrs Upminster Newcastle said: ‘Some prostitutes are looking for a bit more privacy and security so we offer that. We make sure the prostitution is a legal and regulated business.
Mrs Upminster Newcastle said: ‘We take prostitution as seriously as it deserves’
‘We see prostitutes where ever they want to go so they can come straight here if they are wanted.
‘We do all the big style rooms so they don’t have to travel far. Some buy double rooms and pay £40 to get one but most prefer one where they can go to the loo and order room service.’
Many sex workers work through intermediaries rather than an agency. Others keep a daily cap of £200.
People are attracted to Newcastle because of the East Coast Rail link and the fall in the value of sterling since the Brexit vote.