Sexy shop planned for town (From Stroud News and Journal)

Sexy shop planned for town

A PSEUDO-SEX store is set to open in Stroud, selling raunchy PVC clothing and maybe even sex toys.

Plans to turn the upstairs floor at John Street's Phoenix Rising, are underway.

"We are opening a department with PVC and adult paraphernalia," said proprietor Neil Postings.

"It's an alternative way - it's not a sex shop in the sense that we are not selling videos or magazines."

But he said it was possible that the shop might sell sex toys.

His shop was at the centre of a row with the Stroud Baptist Church opposite in January when a friend of Mr Postings pulled out of plans to open a sex shop when she discovered

Stroud District Council would charge an annual £7,700 fee for opening a sex establishment.

Mr Postings already sells PVC clothing at John Street and believes he will not need a licence to also offer some sex toys for sale.

SDC's principal environmental health officer Phil Park, explained the law on sex establishments.

The law says that a sex shop is any premises or stall used for a business which consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring, exchanging, lending, displaying or demonstrating sex articles or other things intended for use in connection with or for the purpose of stimulating or encouraging sexual activity or acts of force or restraint associated with sexual activity.

"We have to take in to account whether or not this is to a significant degree," said Mr Park. "Clothing is a very difficult issue - if it became an issue we would have to look at it."

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.

SDC confirmed that no official applications have been made to date,

The upstairs department at Phoenix Rising is expected to open within the next few weeks.