Sex shop closes as licence is refused
A shop which caused controversy by selling pornographic magazines and sex toys near a church has shut.
Private Lives in Forton Road, Gosport, opened just yards from St John the Evangelist Church, a pre-school and St Vincent College.
But it has now closed, with bosses blaming Gosport Borough Council for turning down their application for a sex shop licence.
Business director Chris Blake said the licence – which would have allowed them to sell explicit DVDs – was one of the main reasons it shut.
'It is a shame because we weren't hurting or harming anyone and we were abiding by the law, but we were just hung out to dry by the councillors who turned down our application for the licence,' he said.
'In the current climate, it was more beneficial to close than keep it open.'
Local residents had objected to the shop, with complaints to the council about its erotic window display.
Up to 30 churchgoers even spent a day praying a sex shop licence would not be granted, and a handful of concerned residents cheered when the council's licensing board kicked out the application.
Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Peter Chegwyn, said people would be pleased that the shop had closed its doors.
'I think many people will be glad that it has closed, in particular churchgoers and parents who had to walk their children past on their way to school,' he said.
'The council is trying to clean up that area and I'm sure this closure will help do that, because it had some quite garish window displays.'
Bridget Barker, deputy supervisor at Noah's Ark pre-school, which is based at nearby St John the Evangelist Church, said the closure was good news for parents and children. 'I'm a parent myself and I'm quite glad about this, it's a good thing that it's not there for all the children to walk past and see,' she said.
The shop closed its doors last month after being open for almost three years.
SECOND ATTEMPT
Last January was the second time Private Lives had applied to Gosport Borough Council for a full sex shop licence.
In October 2006 councillors turned down plans because there was already a sex shop, Utopia, in the same street.
Licensing board chairman Cllr Chris Carter said: 'The board considers the character of the immediate area would be adversely affected.'
About 15 residents at the meeting applauded as councillors threw out the plans.
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