GILFORD — Selectmen have denied a request by Kelsey’s at the Grant owner Willard Drew to refund part of his entertainment license because the town has denied him rights to showcase exotic dancers.

Drew, who owns the lounge and inn that was called Mardi Gras North, surrendered his liquor license and entertainment license — which permitted exotic dancing — after a police task force arrested seven people, some of them exotic dancers, on drug charges at the business last fall.

Kelsey’s at the Grant was given back its liquor license, as Drew was found to have had no role in the drug charges, and he was not managing the club at the time. In July, selectmen reinstated the entertainment license but did not allow exotic dancing in the new license.

In a letter to selectmen this week, Drew asked that part of his $600 entertainment license be refunded because the selectmen took away part of his business income by forbidding exotic dancers, said Town Administrator Scott Dunn.

The selectmen refused. “It’s the same cost for an entertainment license to any other business in town,” Dunn said.

Neither Dunn nor his attorney could be reached for comment.

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