Prayers answered as sex licence turned down

CHURCHGOERS say their prayers were answered when a sex shop was denied a licence.

Dozens of churchgoers and residents applauded last night when Gosport Borough Council's licensing committee refused to give Private Lives, in Forton Road, permission to sell explicit DVDs and videos.

A group of 30 churchgoers spent Saturday praying the council wouldn't give the green light.

Harry Dawson, a church convener who led the prayer meeting, said: 'We believe God has answered our prayers.

'I think if the licence had been granted there would have been a lot of disappointment among Christians, but as it is there's jubilation.'

The committee turned down the application because there had been complaints about the shop's window display, which sells lingerie and adult magazines but is not classed as a sex shop.

There were concerns about the shop being 400 yards from churches, 30 yards from the Gateway Pre-School at the Salvation Army Citadel and 450 yards from St Vincent College.

Lib Dem leader Councillor Dave Smith said: 'There would be children going past the premises and nothing has been done to appease the residents.

'I've been contacted by many people and they have been utterly disgusted by what's going on in the shop.'

A solicitor representing the shop said that if the licence were granted, the windows would be blacked out and there would be stringent age checks on everyone who entered the shop.

It is the second time that Private Lives has been turned down for a licence. The shop's business director Chris Blake declined to comment or say whether he will reapply.