Red light for sex shop (From Stroud News and Journal)

Red light for sex shop

A SEX shop which was proposing to start trading in the same street as a Stroud chapel has given itself the red light because the licence fees are too steep. An informal enquiry to Stroud District Council sparked rumours that a sex shop might open in John Street.

But the rumours were put to bed on Monday after the SNJ spoke to John Street clothing shop owner Neil Postings.

He confirmed that a friend of his had approached the council. "She asked the council but it was too much," said Mr Postings, whose shop Phoenix Clothing sells books, videos and a wide range of clothes including some PVC skirts and bras.

Church leaders and congregation members of Stroud Baptist Church were known to be unhappy with the idea and would certainly have opposed such a move.

Stroud District Council cabinet has recommended that the council levy an annual £7,700 fee for sex establishment licence applications and renewals, and £4,495 for transfers.

Gloucester City Council charge the same rates but Westminster City Council demand £27,000 a year.

An informal approach to establish a sex shop in John Street was made in October 2001 and another was made in December from a company proposing a mail order and retail warehouse in the district.

No official applications have been made.

The proposed policy was scrutinised by cabinet members last Thursday (January 24).

"I'm intrigued by this," said Cllr Nigel Studdert-Kennedy (Con, Kings Stanley), referring to opening hours of 9am to 3pm and 4.30pm to 9pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 10pm on Saturdays and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.

"I wondered what the logic was."

Council leader, Cllr John Stephenson-Oliver (Con, Painswick) told him that the opening hours were such to try and stop schoolchildren passing a sex shop when it was open.

Cllr Janet Wood, (Ind, Uley) said she did not have much time for debate but recalled her very first district council meeting in 1983, when the matter was raised.

"I thought what have I let myself in for?" she said. "The only sex shop in Gloucestershire is at Gloucester Cattle Market."

Amid members' laughter, she made a serious point, adding: "I do hope that when we are talking about regenerating our towns and making them more active, that this does not bring a downturn."