A sex shop has been given the go-ahead to open in Truro.

Mrs Palm Ltd has been granted a license to open the shop in Little Castle Street, next door to Trevails, a school uniform shop that led the nutter campaign against the sex shop application.

Cornwall Council's miscellaneous licenses committee granted permission at a meeting last Friday.

Nutter 'anger' over an application to open a sex shop in Truro has sparked a letter-writing campaign to Cornwall Council's licensing committee.

90+ complaints have been made opposing a move by Mrs Palm Ltd from setting up next to a school uniform store in Little Castle Street.

Much of the campaign has been led by Vicky Trevail, manager of Trevail's uniform shop, who recently collected a 700-name petition.

Many of the letters come from schools and church groups, arguing that such a store is 'inappropriate' in the planned location because of its proximity to a shop used by children and its position on a bus route.

Among them was one from The Christian Institute which said that it was out of character with the area as a locality characterised by tourist attractions, restaurants and cafés, shops and other businesses. It added: It is, therefore, not the sort of place which is suitable for a sex shop.

Many of the letters will have to be discarded because they focus on the moral aspect of having such a store.

Edward Braxton Reynolds speaks in favour of the application. He wrote: Garments and other suitable products sympathetically and appropriately displayed in a shop window can be informative without any risk of causing offence. He added anyone under-age who persistently attempted to enter would either be prosecuted or face an injunction.

Complaining about the proposed sex shop one correspondent wrote: I wish to object moist (sic) strongly. It was just one of a number of unintentional errors, musings and in some cases just funny missives sent to licensing officer Julie Flower, who is dealing with the case.

Some were more graphic in their depiction of the likely clientele: I would reiterate that some people will find it awkward, perhaps even disturbing, to bump into sexually aroused men going to and from a sex establishment.

Cocktails Ltd has applied for a sex establishment licence to open a new sex shop at the former Little Chef, off the A1(M) Great North Road, in Sawtry, near Peterborough.

The company submitted the application to Huntingdonshire District Council on July 27.

The former restaurant has been closed for a number of years, leaving the site derelict.

District councillor for the village Dick Tuplin said he would like the site to once again become a motorway service area. He said: The service station has disappeared altogether. The slip road goes right through where that used to be. It's an eyesore, so I would like to see the site developed. No-one would want to open a hotel near a sex shop.

Huntingdonshire District Council is inviting public views on Cocktails Ltd's plans.

Update: The Wrong Kind of People

15th August 2010. Based on article from cambridge-news.co.uk

Opponents of the redevelopment of a former Little Chef restaurant beside the A1 at Sawtry claim that a village location is the wrong place for a sex shop and the kind of people it may attract.

If the bid by Rotherham-based Cocktails, which has a chain of 23 Pulse and Cocktails sex shops, gets the go-ahead, it would become the first licensed sex shop in Huntingdonshire.

Keith Walters, former leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, who lives in Sawtry, said: I don't want this nice rural village turned into a Las Vegas strip. It is not the Golden Mile at Blackpool or Soho. I can't speak for all 6,000 people here, but I haven't found anyone who wants it.

He said residents were already writing objections to the plan and that he had written to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, about it and would take the case up with MPs.

Walters said: I think the whole tone of it is wrong and local people will not want to say you go up the A1 and turn left at the sex shop to get to my house.

Parish councillor Joyce Day, who chairs the planning committee, said: I don't think a village is the right place for this sort of thing. It could bring undesirables into the village, although I can't say it would. Cllr Day said there were limited objections to a licence application.

North-West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara said: I am against the proposed sex shop and have made my views clear to Cllr Ian Bates, the leader of Huntingdonshire District Council and Cllr Doug Dew, cabinet member in charge of planning. It is not the right place for that kind of shop and I hope the council will listen to the many local protests which are being made.

The period for residents to comment on the plan has been extended to September 8, after the council was unhappy with the way the application notice at the site was displayed.

Based on article from peterboroughtoday.co.uk

More than 40 members of the public turned up to a special meeting at Huntingdoneshire District Council to find out more about the licence application.

Afterwards Councillor Dick Tuplin said it was now planned to hold a public meeting, likely to be August 25, although time and location have yet to be agreed, to allow as many villagers as possible the chance to have their say.

Director of Pulse & Cocktails Clair Boothby said target customers were couples and the stores were designed with a female friendly atmosphere. She said: We require a licence at all of our stores to enable us to stock and sell a good range and variety of marital aids and lingerie to our customers. The premises in Cambridgeshire are located adjacent to the A1(M) motorway and not actually in the village of Sawtry itself.

The premises have been derelict for a number of years and our intentions are to invest in the refurbishment of the premises to improve its general appearance and transform it into a modern, retail outlet.

Update: The Wrong Kind of People

29th August 2010. Based on article from huntspost.co.uk

Around 200 people attended a meeting opposing a sex shop being opened in Sawtry.

A three-part motion of action was unanimously voted through demanding:

• Huntingdonshire District Council's licensing panel refuse the application because it would be inappropriate for the character of the localit
• That Sawtry Parish Council meet to establish its views on the application and send those to the district council before the September 8 deadline for comments
• Huntingdonshire District Council establishes a policy on sex establishments in the district before hearing the application

The meeting was chaired by ward councillor Darren Tysoe who read out his objection letter to the licensing panel, which stated: This is a sex shop on the entrance to the village. It will cast a shadow over Sawtry as a great place to live.

Keth Walters made the opening address, saying he lived in a village: Which is not deemed big enough to support a bank or a building society, nor a butcher or a baker or a candlestick-maker for that matter, but apparently can support a sex shop.

He said Rotherham-based Cocktails Ltd, which operates 23 sex shops, was looking for £200,000 a year turnover – and that's not possible from a village this size. He said the operators were far from being an Ann Summers shop as the company website stated it sold films which were too explicit to sell on the internet and could only be sold in a shop like this. The only two reasons HDC could give for refusal which would mean the decision could not be appealed against, he said, were: Having a sex shop was against that council's policy or it was inappropriate in regard of the character of the locality.

Resident Pauline Potter reported on her visit to a Cocktails Ltd establishment on the A1 near Grantham, saying it catered for extreme sexual tastes and was screening pornographic movies.

Graham Smith said the opening of a sex shop would affect house prices and the desirability of the village.

Sh! Portobello
Women's Erotic Emporium

Unit 4, 253 Portobello Road
Notting Hill
London
W11 1LR

(Corner Lancaster Rd & Portobello)
Tube: Ladbroke Grove (0.3 km)

Open Everyday: 11-7pm

Email: Sh! Store
Tel: 020 7221 5476

www.sh-womenstore.com

Hundreds of X-rated magazines and DVDs have been seized from Tyneside corner shops.

Trading SubStandards officers raided premises in Heaton and Byker, in Newcastle's East End, as well as ones in Fenham, Benwell and Denton, in the West End.

The goods recovered included adult magazines, which had been wrapped together with DVDs, all believed to contain hardcore movies. Other hardcore films were also seized.

It is believed the consignment hardcore porn had been shipped-in from overseas and that shopkeepers are being targeted by people posing as legitimate suppliers.

Nearly 200 items were taken from outlets in Heaton, Byker, Fenham, Denton and Benwell. It is believed the mags and DVDs have been shipped into Tyneside from Quebec, in Canada. But the DVDs that were being peddled together with pornographic magazines had not been classified. Some of the magazines recovered appeared to be recognised titles such as Penthouse.

Under current licensing laws, any movie that has been given a hardcore R18 rating can only be sold at a registered sex shop. There are only two such outlets in Newcastle and none of the stores visited as part of this investigation has been licensed.

A sex shop application has sparked nutter 'outrage' from residents and retailers in a Cornish city.

The company Mrs Palm Limited wants to open the store in Little Castle Street, Truro. Mrs Palm said it would be a lawful business, properly licensed by Cornwall Council in according with its trading rules.

Company spokesman Braxton Reynolds said Little Castle Street had been chosen because it was a specialist shopping area and as such was appropriate.

Concerns have been strongly expressed about what might be seen by passers-by in the window, company spokesman Braxton Reynolds said: But the standard rules apply to all such establishments is that nothing that will cause offence can be displayed in the window.

The manageress of the school outfitter Trevails said she was really 'shocked' at the distasteful sex shop application. We don't want something like that next door, Vicky Trevail said: We've got young children probably from the age of three up to 16 or 17, so no, no, it's definitely no from the Trevail family and no from me. We're a cathedral city, we live in a nice street here and we're all friendly and neighbourly. I mean live and let live ...BUT... put it somewhere else.

Jackie Hill, who runs the Limelite Costume Shop on the other side of where the sex shop would be, said she intends to start a petition against the application: You don't need it shoved in your face. You can get everything you want online if you really want it and it's the clients that are going to be using the shop that really worry me.

Nice 'n' Naughty has been recognised once again as the Best Retail Chain for adult products in the U.K.

The award was presented at this year's ETO Show at the NEC in Birmingham and is the highest accolade in the UK for companies operating in the adult industry. Nice 'n' Naughty has now won this coveted award for an amazing fifth time in six years.

As the current holder of the E-line European Retailer of the Year award presented in Berlin last October, Nice 'n' Naughty has also repeated its previously unique feat of being champions of the U.K. and Europe at the same time. No other retailer has achieved this degree of success and Nice 'n' Naughty has now accomplished it twice.

The award was collected by Nice 'n' Naughty director, Trish Murray, who commented, It's a great honour for us to receive the Best Retail Chain Award from ETO because the winner is decided by the toughest judges of all -our peers and colleagues in the industry. I'd like to thank all who have supported us once again and I also want to pay tribute to the people who won us this award - the team at Nice 'n' Naughty. This is due recognition of their professionalism and hard work, so a big thank you goes to them as well. The challenge for us now is to keep on improving so we stay in contention next year!

Nice n Naughty operate 15 stores in the U.K. in Aberystwyth, Bangor, Bolton, Brighton, Bristol, Chester, Leeds, Liverpool (2), Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Southport, Warrington, Wednesbury, Wigan.

The Wicked Pictures' spectacular film presentation, Fallen, has won the Best R18 DVD Award at this year's ETO Show held at the NEC in Birmingham.

Starring Jessica Drake and Brad Armstrong, Fallen is a four disc extravaganza, superbly packaged and rich in extras. An erotic masterpiece comes to life as the movie tells the tale of a fallen Angel (Jessica Drake) who has been banished to Earth and stripped of her wings after the accidental death of the young woman she was sent to watch over.

Alone and desperate for companionship, she finds it in the city's seedy underworld, far from the idyllic heavens she once knew. On her dark journey through sinful and perverse places, she discovers a glimmer of light in Keith (Brad Armstrong), a handsome mortal.

The question is.... can Angel regain her wings or has she fallen for the last time, doomed to live out her days trapped in the purgatory she now calls home? Fallen is distributed exclusively in the U.K. by Nice 'n' Naughty Wholesale and you can find out the answer to Angel's predicament at any of Nice 'n' Naughty's stores in Aberystwyth, Bangor, Bolton, Brighton, Bristol, Chester, Leeds, Liverpool (2), Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Southport, Warrington, Wednesbury, Wigan.

Nice 'n' Naughty director, Simon Prescott, commented, Fallen is an unforgettable film with mind-blowing sex scenes and a screenplay that delivers 'till the very last frame so I can understand why it's won this prestigious award. I'd very much like to express my gratitude to everyone who voted for it.

A sex shop owner says he won't give up after his application to show lingerie in the shop window was rejected.

B.C. Books in Bennetts Castle Lane, Dagenham are still not allowed to display lingerie in their window, it was announced at a council meeting.

Bradley Rose's application for change was denied on the ground that his shop was in a busy area where children were passing.

He said: I'm really disappointed. I don't think I was asking for anything unreasonable. One reason for wanting to show a display was to make the shop more approachable for couples, the chairman responded saying 'why don't you put some flowers outside then?' Well the answer to that is because I don't sell flowers. I pay £21,000 a year for a license but I'm not even allowed to show what I sell.

Earlier this year Rose wrote to the licensing and environmental office requesting that they let him display lingerie in his shop windows. He said: I'm simply asking to be given the same consideration as any High Street retailer that stocks and sells lingerie.

In 2008 the council adopted the Sex Establishment Regulations, which stated that sex establishments can not advertise products on the external part of the premises.

Here's the (unofficial?) list of award winners for 2010.

Congratulations to all.

Best stand in the Show - Fever
Best R18 DVD - Fallen - Wicked Pictures
Best gay R18 DVD - Young British Hoodies 2 - Rentboy UK
Best Adult Product - We-Vibe II
Best Consumable - ID. Glide
Best Film Brand - TVX
Best Gay Film Brand - Eurocreme
Best Sex Toy Brand - Fetish Fantasy
Best Erotic Book Brand - Excite Books
Best Erotic Clothing Brand - Cottelli
Best R18 DVD Distributor - Erigo
Best Erotic Goods Distributor - Net 1 on 1
Best Overseas Distributor - Scala
Best Lingerie Distributor - Blue Moon
Best Retail Chain - Nice N Naughty
Best Individual Store - Soho Original (Brewer St)
Best Online Retailer - Love Honey
Best Online Resource - Melonfarmers.co.uk
Best online Affilate Programme - Net 1 on 1
Innovation in Adult - Sex in the Shower
Best Sales Team - ABS
Services to the Industry - Jane Bowles

A mean new sex establishment policy for Bournemouth seeks to restrict the numbers and locations of sex shops and lap dancing clubs.

The draft policy states that an area of Holdenhurst Road, from the junction with Northcote Road to the Richmond Park Road junction, should contain no more than two sex shops. The Triangle is considered an appropriate location for just one shop and that should be a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lifestyle shop.

And the town centre is deemed appropriate for a maximum of three sexual entertainment venues.

The draft document has been considered and amended by the council's licensing board and will need final approval from the chair and vice chair of licensing.

It will then go out to public consultation, when residents will be invited to make comments.

Interfact, associated with the UK Private Shop chain, asked the High Court for leave to make a late appeal for a conviction under the VRA.

The case was Interfact Ltd v Liverpool City Council where R18s were sold by mail order from licensed premises.

The High Court held that where defendants had been convicted of criminal offences under national legislation which was unenforceable owing to a failure by the UK to comply with a pre-enactment procedural requirement imposed by EU law, it was not incumbent upon the Court of Appeal to re-open their cases out of time unless their convictions had given rise to any substantial injustice.

The applicants sought to quash their convictions, arguing that the court was required to exercise its discretion to reopen the decision of the Divisional Court and to grant leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal out of time because the earlier decisions were contrary to EU law. They argued that failure to grant the relief sought would infringe the principle of effectiveness in EU law. They contended that because of the government's failure to notify the regulations under which they were convicted to the Commission, their convictions and punishment infringed the prohibition on retrospective punishment under Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Court dismissed the applications.

...Read the full article

Currently adverts for porn products are banned from TV, including cable and satellite.

From 1st September 2010, the rules will loosen up a bit.

On radio, softcore products may be advertised between 10pm and 5:30am but the adverts have to be centrally cleared

On TV, adverts for softcore/hardcore products are allowed only on encrypted adult channels. The adverts themselves must never feature hardcore but may be softcore between 10pm and 5:30am.

The published CAP rules seem to be a bit mis-numbered and mangled though:

Rules

30.1 Radio Central Copy Clearance – Advertisements for products coming within the recognised character of pornography may be broadcast only if they are centrally cleared.

30.2 Radio advertisements for R18-rated material are not permitted.

30.3 Television only – Advertisements for products coming within the recognised character of pornography are permitted behind mandatory restricted access on adult entertainment channels only.

30.3.1 Television only – Advertisements must not feature R18-rated material or its equivalent. That does not preclude advertisements for R18-rated material or its equivalent behind mandatory restricted access on adult entertainment channels.

30.3.2 Television only – Advertisements permitted under rules 30.2 and 30.2.1 must not feature material that comes within the recognised character of pornography before 10.00pm or after 5.30am.

30.3.3 Radio advertisements for R18-rated material are not permitted.

A sex shop in Bristol has been given the green light to sell hardcore films .

Businessman Mark Mullens argued he needed to sell the films and material aimed at the gay community to save his West Street shop Rudies from closure.

Bristol City Council's public safety and protection committee gave the application the thumbs up after more than 20 letters and emails supporting the application had been sent in by traders and residents in Old Market. Only two objections were received.

Representing Mullens, Jeremy Woodcraft told councillors the shop had been in the family since the 1960s and had become a video rental library in the 1980s, selling adult films on the top shelf when a licence was not required.

He told the council that Rudies was low profile with a blacked out window and not open to anyone under 18.

Councillor Jaw Jethwa said: Rudies is quite a well presented shop from the outside, it's not huge. You can download this [material] quite freely, that's the area I'm more worried about.

But councillor Chris Davies raised concerns about whether the shop was suitable for the area, according to a report in the Bristol Evening Post: There is an emerging community at the rear of your premises – what impact will that have on children who might go that way to school?

After a short deliberation behind closed doors, the committee approved the application.

Soho is losing its unique atmosphere because of crackdowns on vice and an influx of chain restaurants, according to historians.

BBC presenter Dan Cruickshank is leading calls for Westminster council and police to stop trying to sanitise the district.

The council has announced a drive against drug dealers, street prostitutes and unlicensed sex shops, as well as drunken and anti-social behaviour, in an attempt to 'clean up' the area before the expected influx of visitors for the 2012 Olympics.

A police operation this month led to 50 arrests. More than 60 pedicabs have been seized and some £500,000 of illegal pornography destroyed following 22 raids on unlicensed sex shops.

But historians and residents say late-night revelry and all that goes with it are part the area's character. Cruickshank, who presented Around the World in 80 Treasures on BBC2, said: Soho is almost beyond recovery and I find it rather heartbreaking. Now it attracts chain shops, chain bars and chain restaurants and is no longer unconventional or curious. If the drunk and disorderly are people who come from outside as somewhere to hang out it's not on. But equally, a sense of wildness and inventive roughness creates some artistic individuals who do some interesting things.

Soho is still home to celebrated bars, clubs and restaurants, and is the hub of London's gay scene. Cruickshank said sex shops had long been part of the local scene.

Miserable Brighton and Hove City Council is looking to introduce strict quotas to ban any more sex shops and lap dancing clubs within the city's boundaries.

City bosses believe the new powers will give local moralists a greater say in restricting adult businesses.

But critics have warned the review could signal the end for Brighton and Hove being a cheeky tourist destination.

A council report, which will be discussed by the council's licensing committee, recommends lap dancing clubs should be upgraded from public entertainment centres to the same category as sex shops. It states no more than the three current lap dancing clubs should be allowed in the city.

The plans also set maximum appropriate numbers set for sex shops, which includes two in St James's Street, two near Brighton station and one in Hove. Officers state there should be no more anywhere else in the city.

Luminar Leisure, which operates Tru and Oceana nightclubs, has raised fears with the council about whether any new legislation will affect its podium dancers. Burlesque dancers and some Fringe acts could also be affected.

Denise Cobb, chairthing of the council's licensing committee, said: We welcome the new legislation which will give us tighter controls to limit the number and location of lap dancing clubs. We are currently consulting on a draft policy to cover lap dancing clubs and people are welcome to give us their view to help shape this. The consultation period runs until the end of August.

Green Euro-MPs want to ban the use of PVC in electrical goods for environmental reasons.

The move is aimed at old-fashioned mobile phones and dishwashers. But it would also mean a massive Rabbit cull.

The European Parliament's Environmental Committee is looking to put PVC on a list of materials that are not allowed to be used in electrical goods. They say it is environmentally unfriendly and particularly harmful when it ends up in landfill sites.

It would spell the end of PVC vibrators like some of the Rampant Rabbit range. Official documents from the European Parliament admit there are problems with finding alternative materials for some products.

An impact assessment report states: Some of these alternative materials proved unsuitable because of certain properties such as lacking flexibility or bad odour.

A European Parliament spokesman said the move was aimed at white goods. But he admitted it would hit sex toys too. In theory sex toys would be included, he said. Electrical goods end up in landfill sites often in developing countries and that is a problem.

Scandals Adult Shop has taken over from All Things Sexy in Ellesmere Port, and following a full refurbishment, have just opened this week.

Stocking a full supply of the latest titles, quality toys and lingerie, this shop is like our main shop in Birkenhead, stylish with male and female staff that are professional, well trained, and able to advise on the perfect product.

Couples and ladies friendly.

Scandals Adult Shop

2F Whitby Road
Ellesmere Port
South Wirral

According to information provided to TorrentFreak and by BeingThreatened.com, a consumer group set up to assist those wrongfully accused of infringement by ACS:Law and other lawyers, a sex shop has become an unlikely victim in the ongoing and hugely controversial anti-filesharing scheme.

Following a request under the Freedom of Information Act, it has been revealed that Darker Enterprises, the company behind the Private chain of sex shops, applied earlier this year to have one of its sex shop licenses renewed.

But the application didn't go smoothly. An objection to the granting of the license was received citing several potential grounds for refusal. The first claim stated there had been an attempt to hide the real owners of the applicants in order to obtain a license. The second was that the Private Shops website previously supplied restricted videos via mail contrary to law. Thirdly being a client of the ACS:Law scheme was cited in the objection.

Following the receipt by one north-west council of one such objection – which made direct reference to the scheme, describing it as one which '…bullies innocent individuals in respect of alleged file sharing of pornography…' – Darker Enterprises has withdrawn their renewal application, closed the shop and left the town, explains James Bench of BeingThreatened.com.

Sheptonhurst Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Darker Enterprises Ltd., was approached, along with a number of companies in the adult film industry, by a firm of solicitors offering to assist in tackling the problem of internet sharing of R18 [videos] on a no-win no-fee basis, said the company on its connections with ACS:Law: There had been concerns for some time not only because of copyright infringement but also because of the likely detrimental effects of uncontrolled circulation of material that should be subject to controls. The rights of enforcement were assigned to the solicitors concerned by a number of distributors.

But it seems that although only a single shop has been affected at this point, the situation has the potential to snowball.

The firm has to renew over a hundred licenses annually – a considerable liability. While they may feel that they have already been subject to a national campaign, the scope of their commercial vulnerability may yet become apparent, explains BeingThreatened's James Bench: In just the next two months license renewals are due in a further dozen towns including Stoke, Newport, Halifax, Bedford, Brent, Stevenage, Woking, Doncaster, Carlisle, Bolton, Brighton and Southampton, he concludes.

ETO is the major UK adult trade association, with representation from all of UK's adult retailers and distributors, both online and on the high street.

Voting is open now at www.erotictradeonly.com, but is only open to those registered as belonging to the UK adult trade. The free monthly trade magazine is very good and it is well worthwhile registering for those connected with the trade.

Congratulations to the following nominees:

Best Retail Chain

• Ann Summers
  
  Headed up by high profile boss Jacqueline Gold, AS is without question the biggest 'adult' brand in the UK, and with over 130 stores there are few towns left which have yet to be Summer-ised.
   
• Harmony
  
  Although Harmony has become one of the highest profile - and successful - British DVD brands, it began life as a licensed retailer. It has stores in London's Oxford Street and Walkers Court.
   
• Nice 'n' Naughty
  
  In little more than a decade Nice 'n' Naughty has grown from a single store to a high profile 15-strong chain. Its achievements include being the first adult store to gain Investors In People status.
   
• Private Shops
  
  With around 100 outlets Private is the UK's largest chain of licensed stores. Owned by David Sullivan it can boast a heritage on the British High Street stretching back over 30 years.
   
• Simply Pleasure
  
  Simply Pleasure is the retail arm of the ABS group. It has 32 stores in the UK and its branches regularly pick up Five Star ratings in ETO's Mystery Shopper reports.

Best Online Retailer

• DivaDirect.co.uk
  
  Formed in 2000, Diva Direct's subheading is 'Your Lesbian Shopping Experience' and it offers a comprehensive range of Sapphic-themed books, magazines, DVDs and sex toys.
   
• LoveHoney.co.uk
  
  Launched in 2002, LoveHoney has become one of the most successful retailers of adult toys, and certainly the highest profile. It has also developed a number of adult products under its own name.
   
• Passion8.co.uk
  
  A true industry veteran, having been formed by Stephanie Taylor way back in 1988, Passion8 prides itself on customer service and its high quality range of adult products.
   
• Sexshop365.co.uk
  
  One of the largest sex toy retailers, the company's website also boasts informative articles, sex tips, news, reviews and guides. It was one of the first adult retailers to utilise social media networks.
   
• Sextoys.co.uk
  
  The retail arm of Net 1on1 is one of the industry's big hitters, as you would expect with such a defining domain name. The slick site offers a huge range of quality brands at competitive prices.

ETO is the major UK adult trade association, with representation from all of UK's adult retailers and distributors, both online and on the high street.

Voting is open now at www.erotictradeonly.com, but is only open to those registered as belonging to the UK adult trade. The free monthly trade magazine is very good and it is well worthwhile registering for those connected with the trade.

Congratulations to the following nominees:

Best Adult Product

• Bargain Bunny (ToyJoy) Bargain Bunny it might be, but ToyJoy didn't cut corners on quality or on the packaging. It's multi-speed, waterproof and features four rows of vibrating beads in the shaft.
   
• Jessica Rabbit Ultimate (Loving Joy) The second rabbit to make the finalists sports all the features users have come to expect from vibes of this type, and it also boasts 36 stimulation combinations.
   
• Throbbing Hearts (Doc Johnson) Throbbing Hearts looks similar to other rabbits but it features an innovative shaft that expands outward and contracts again at three different speeds. It makes a cute putt-putt sound too.
   
• Vibrating Ice Massager (Touche/Shots Toys) A unique product, Vibrating Ice Massager resembles an egg cup which the user fills with water and pops in the freezer for a few hours. A bullet vibe provides the power for the icy treat.
   
• We-Vibe II (Standard Innovation Corporation) The original We-Vibe - the toy that is worn while having sex - just missed out in this category last year and this enhanced model features high and low settings as well as seven modes of vibration.

Best Consumable

• Gun Oil Silicone Lubricant
• ID Glide
• Liquid Gold
• So Hard
• VigRX Capsules

Best Film Brand

• Harmony
• Pink Visual
• Pumpkin Media
• Television X
• Viv Thomas

Best Gay Film Brand

• Eurocreme
• FreshSX
• Rentboy UK
• Triga
• UKNakedMen

Best Sex Toy Brand

• California Exotic Novelties
• Fun Factory
• Pipedream Fetish Fantasy Series
• Rocks-Off
• ToyJoy

Best Erotic Book Brand

• Cleis Press
• Erotic Review Books
• Goliath
• McCoy's Guides
• Xcite Books

Best Erotic Clothing Brand

• Cottelli
• Dreamgirl
• G World
• Leg Avenue
• Shirley of Hollywood

It is great to see that Melon Farmers is a finalist for the Erotic Trade Only (ETO) Awards.

ETO is the major UK adult trade association, with representation from all of UK's adult retailers and distributors, both online and on the high street.

Voting is open now at www.erotictradeonly.com, but is only open to those registered as belonging to the UK adult trade. The free monthly trade magazine is very good and it is well worthwhile registering for those connected with the trade.

The nominations for  Best R18 DVD:

• Fallen (Wicked Pictures)
  
  An outstanding three-hour blockbuster which features production values to rival a mainstream movie release. It stars Jessica Drake as an angel who falls to Earth in search of redemption.
   
• Marc Dorcel 30th Anniversary (Marc Dorcel)
  
  A deluxe six-disc box set which traces the history of French porn powerhouse Marc Dorcel through over 70 hardcore scenes dating back to the early 1980s. It was released at a pleasingly low price.
   
• Match Mates (JoyBear Pictures)
  
  First time director (and JoyBear staffer) Liselle Bailey pairs up her porn star mates with each other in five fly-on-the-wall scenes which ETO's reviewer praised for their honesty.
   
• Mother Fuckers (Union Films)
  
  Union Films has made great strides over the last twelve months and this title is a MILF-themed release which features five mature ladies having their way with younger guys.
   
• Real Punting 6 (LoadXXX)
  
  Like the others in this series, Real Punting claims to feature genuine British call girls. They are booked, interviewed on camera and then the presenter gets to shag them. Nice work...

The nominations for  Best Gay R18 DVD:

• Are You Being Serviced? (UKNakedMen)
  
  The debut release from UKNakedMen contains six scenes, which are given descriptive names rather than a number. It features authentic-looking costumes and impressive performances.
   
• Dads Fuck Lads 2 (FreshSX)
  
  The second instalment in this series continued where its predecessor left off - with older guys having their wicked way with lads young enough to be their son.
   
• Policeboy (Eurocreme)
  
  The uniforms look frighteningly authentic in this tale of a bent copper who shows his rookie colleague how to abuse his position of power over young miscreants.
   
• Skin Deep Part 1 (Kristen Bjorn)
  
  A two-hour epic which features a pair of Latin Mafioso who rule their underlings with a hard cock. They treat themselves to a new tattoo after every conquest, hence the title.
   
• Young British Hoodies 2 (Rentboy UK)
  
  Young-looking, slightly rough around the edges, British lads are a perennial favourite in gay DVDs and this film features five scenes of them getting to grips with each other.

It is great to see that Melon Farmers is a finalist for the Erotic Trade Only (ETO) Awards.

ETO is the major UK adult trade association, with representation from all of UK's adult retailers and distributors, both online and on the high street.

Voting is open now at www.erotictradeonly.com, but is only open to those registered as belonging to the UK adult trade. The free monthly trade magazine is very good and it is well worthwhile registering for those connected with the trade.

Congratulations to the sex shops nominated in the  Best Individual Store category:

• Harmony (Oxford Street, London)
  
  One of the most impressive stores in the UK, this branch was pipped to the Mystery Shopper award in 2008 by Harmony's Charing Cross Road outlet (sadly now closed due to area redevelopment).
   
• Nice 'n' Naughty (Brighton)
  
  Located on St James Street, this was formerly a branch of Clonezone until it was acquired by Nice n Naughty last year. The store has since been refurbished and the stock range broadened.
   
• Prowler (Soho, London)
  
  Prowler's hugely impressive Soho branch was described by ETO's Mystery Shopper several years ago as looking very handsome, with its neon signs and subtle window presentation.
   
• Soho Original (Brewer Street, Soho, London)
  
  Its ground floor is a mainstream book store but all the fun happens downstairs in the licensed section - ETO's Mystery Shopper called it smashing and a sexy shopping experience.
   
• Taboo (Brighton)
  
  One of the first retailers to get full marks from our Mystery Shopper, Brighton's Taboo went on to win the Mystery Shopper award for the best overall store visited at 2006's ETO awards.

Nice 'n' Naughty in Brighton are rightfully well pleased and add:

As a way of us celebrating the great news we would like to offer a further 5% off any purchase when quoting the password ETO in our Brighton store.

Fingers crossed that we get the award in July. It will be celebrations for us and a special treat for you all with a further 10% off in store!

Nice n Naughty Director, Simon Prescott, has successfully completed the London Marathon.

The Virgin London Marathon is one of the great British sporting events, combining elite athletics, mass participation and record-breaking fundraising in one race. The course is a gruelling 26 miles 385 yards long, passing through the streets of London from Blackheath to the famous finish line at The Mall.

Simon spoke of his achievement:

I managed to complete the marathon without passing out! It was an amazing, very challenging and towards the end painful experience, but one for lots of reasons I will never forget.

I managed to run for 22 miles without walking then stretched and walked for a couple of hundred yards then ran to the end-26.2 miles clocking a near course record of 5 hours, 5 mins, 37 seconds!  (only 180 minutes behind the winner)

Thank you for your very generous sponsorship donations, they will go to a very worth charity which is close to myself and Trish.

For anyone still wishing to donate a few quid then please visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SimonPrescott

Simon's chosen beneficiary is a very worthwhile charity - Vitalise, which provides respite breaks and other essential services for disabled people, visually impaired people, and carers.

Thousands of disabled people in the UK have complicated medical and care requirements that can make taking even a short break incredibly difficult and costly to arrange. Vitalise Centres across the UK make a real difference through their accessible respite care and short breaks. Guests can spend their time in a supportive and safe environment while carers can take some much needed time off from their 24 hour a day role.

Back in 2004 Liverpool Council Trading Substandards took action against UK companies for selling R18 DVDs via mail order.

Interfact, associated with the Private Shops chain, were handed a substantial fine.

Interfact contended that they were operating from a licensed sex shop and challenged the prosecution right up to the House of Lords where they ultimately lost their case.

Now given that the 1984 Video Recordings Act wasn't actually in force, due to government oversight, then it is hardly surprising that Interfact would like to see some of their money back.

Interfact will now revisit the case in the High Court, Queen's Bench Division on the 6th May 2010. They have made an application for an appeal out of time in the case of Interfact vs Liverpool City Council.

A sex shop in Hertford is to start selling off its remaining stock at half price after announcing it is to close down.

Wendy Stevenson, who owns SWALK Adult Store, in Market Place, has decided to call it a day after five years in the town.

She told the Herald: It is sad to be closing as I have enjoyed the last five years as a retail owner in Hertford, however another business of mine is taking up so much time that I can not give as much attention to the shop as I should. We will still operate on-line, but as the end of my lease is near it was decided not to renew the retail outlet.

Update: Sexopoly

21st April 2010. Thanks to Wendy Stevenson

It is correct we are having a closing down sale and will not be renewing our retail lease, but the business will carry on as a website based business for a couple of reasons. Firstly, our lease is up for renewal and as my other business IOS Games has had a tremendous response for the upcoming release of our new game Sexopoly we have decided to concentrate on this and not renewal the shop for a further five years.

I have not owned the shop in Stevenage since August of last year. The cost of the licence and the rent and rates for Hertford were a major reason for not renewing and we are happy to provide our customers with an opportunity to continue to shop with us online.

Hackney Council's Licensing Committee has drawn up a Draft Sex Establishment Licensing Policy which proposes having none in any ward of the borough.

That would mean the four gentlemen's clubs and one sex shop currently resident in Hackney would have to argue why they should be allowed to stay open when they re-new their licence.

The committee met on Tuesday March 23 to discuss the draft policy which will go for public consultation later in the year and could then be adopted.

Two Blackpool sex shops have had their licences renewed for a further year.

The Private Shop, on Church Street in central Blackpool and Saints and Sinners on Foxhall Square will be licensed as sex shops for another 12 months.

Blackpool Council public protection committee heard there had never been a single cause for complaint relating to either retailer and there were no objections from the police, council enforcement department or members of the public to the licence renewal.

 An application has been made for a sex shop licence for Erotique 4 You at 448a Ashley Road, Poole, to trade seven days a week from 10am to 10pm.

One resident has objected to the application, which is due to go before Borough of Poole's licensing sub committee on March 2.

The hours are contrary to the standard operating times and if granted would be a special condition.

Erotique4you is a new shop with a large selection of sexy dance wear, lingerie and lots more.

It is currently open from Monday to Saturday 10am until 6pm.

Nice n Naughty Director, Simon Prescott, has raised thousands of pounds for charity in recent years by pushing himself to the limit for a good cause. This time, though, he's going for the Big One - the London Marathon on 25th April.

The Virgin London Marathon is one of the great British sporting events, combining elite athletics, mass participation and record-breaking fundraising in one race. The course is a gruelling 26 miles 385 yards long, passing through the streets of London from Blackheath to the famous finish line at The Mall.

Since the first race in 1981, more than £400 million has been raised for charities and good causes. Last year alone a staggering £47.2 million was reached, making the event a Guinness World Record holder as the largest annual fundraising event on the planet.

Simon's target is a bit more modest than £47.2 million but it's a challenge nevertheless. He's setting out to raise at least £1500 for a very worthwhile charity - Vitalise, which provides respite breaks and other essential services for disabled people, visually impaired people, and carers.

Thousands of disabled people in the UK have complicated medical and care requirements that can make taking even a short break incredibly difficult and costly to arrange. Vitalise Centres across the UK make a real difference through their accessible respite care and short breaks. Guests can spend their time in a supportive and safe environment while carers can take some much needed time off from their 24 hour a day role.

Please help Simon reach his target by donating at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SimonPrescott. Simon has pledged to get the ball rolling by contributing £250 personally and you'll be helping make life easier for a lot of people for whom every day is a challenge.

An area of Dublin city centre has remained cordoned off following an incident of suspected arson at a head (legal highs) shop.

Dublin Fire Brigade said that three shops, including a souvenir store and Utopia, a sex shop, will have to be demolished.

Firefighters tackling the blaze rescued almost half a million euro in cash from a safe in the basement before one building was partly knocked down. The €485,000 sum of money was found in the Nirvana head shop and kept by gardai over the weekend.

The money was taken to the Bridewell Garda Station with the consent of shop owner Jim Bellamy. The cash is believed to be takings from the lucrative trade in legal highs and the adult store.

After internet complaints about the featuring of two items from Nice n Naughty, a leading adult toy retailer, on the Alan Titchmarsh Show. Nice n Naughty has commented in support of both the show and the specific feature which contained the items.

The show went out at 5pm on Wednesday the 10th of February and was part of a pre Valentine's Day special.

The controversy was caused when the show featured a piece of sexual furniture called the Inflatable Tilt Master and a sexual aid called the Advanced Clitoral Pump, which some viewers deemed inappropriate for this type of show.

Trish Murray, Director of Nice n Naughty comments, This type of product is always going to cause controversy with some people but the complaints which have been made are unfounded. We at Nice 'n' Naughty feel that the show handled the issues discussed in an appropriate manner and was definitely suitable for a mainstream audience.

The sex toy industry has become mainstream within the UK with over 2.5 million sex toys sold every year and an annual growth in the market place of 20%+ year on year.

Trish went on to suggest that by featuring such products, the show has in fact done a public service by raising the issue of sexuality and relationships within a mainstream forum.

Nice n Naughty has been an on and offline retailer of adult toys and adult fun since 1999, and have an open and honest approach to a couple friendly adult industry. Their website says: Our Mission is to help people enjoy completely fulfilling sexual relationships by stimulating their imaginations and giving them the opportunity to try different, exciting experiences and break down taboos.

Pressure group, Large Cause, represents licensed sex shops who feel that expensive licenses are an unfair when competing with unlicensed shops selling similar lines. The group took legal action against Ann Summers suggesting that one representative Ann Summers store should be licensed too.

The claim by Large Cause that the Ann Summers store in Brewer Street, Soho, should be required to apply for a sex shop licence culminated in a two day hearing at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court, London, on February 11th.

Large Cause Ltd, which stands for Licensed Adult Retail Group Encourage Councils Abolish Unlicensed Sex Establishments, now faces legal costs of £100,000.

District Judge Michael Snow rejected the private prosecution on three separate points – but they were related to who was bringing the prosecution and their reasons for doing so, rather than the nature of the case.

He told the parties: The motivation behind this prosecution appeared to be profit rather than upholding the law. And to allow this matter to proceed would be an affront to justice.

An application for costs has been made by Ann Summers legal team and this will be heard on March 3rd.

375 R18s were submitted to the BBFC for censorship in January 2010. This is a large surge as this compares with 836 for the whole of 2009.

BBFC R18 cuts for January 2010

Number of submissions = 375
Number that were cut = 75
Percentage of R18s censored by the BBFC = 20%

The R18 cuts stats 2010:

• January: 75 R18s cut out of 375 (20%)

2009: 199 R18s cut out of 836 (24%)

Cuts of interest:

Séance:

Distributor removed sight of a pool cue being inserted into the vagina.

House of Wicked:

Cuts made to potentially harmful activity in an R18 adult work (in this instance, vaginal penetration with a billiards cue and a cigarette holder).

A sex shop's bid to open on a Sunday has sparked 'fury' among nutter groups.

The Private Shop, in Chesterton Road, is asking Cambridge City Council for permission to open on a Sunday for the first time.

The Mitcham's Corner store is one of two adult shops in Cambridge, which are both banned from trading on a Sunday under existing rules.

Owners of the store will ask the council's licensing committee to approve changes that will allow it to open between 10am-4pm. A report to the committee says the move is likely to lead to the Confidential Shop, in Devonshire Road, also opening on a Sunday enabling both shops to operate on an 'even playing field'.

But the plans have predictably been criticised by nutter campaign groups.

Peter Lynas, from Keep Sunday Special, a campaign group said: Keep Sunday Special is about family and community relationships, rest and respecting faith. Increasing the opening hours of this shop won't help any of these. We want to see less shopping on Sundays, not more, so that people can enjoy a shared day off with their families. We hope the council will respect the views of the majority of people who do not want greater Sunday opening and refuse this application.

Lynette Burrows, author of Fight for the Family said: Christianity is still a major part of many people's lives and it should be reflected in our culture. We should be willing to say so and opening a sex shop on Sunday should not be allowed. We ought to have the confidence to say this is a seedy business. It sells products that do not respect women and exploits people's weaknesses and lust. We might not be able to stop it, but at least it can be confined to six days a week.

The Video Recordings Bill was given Royal Assent as scheduled on 21st January 2010.

The law comes into force immediately.

The Video Recordings Bill has received its 3rd Reading in the House of Lords on 20th January 2010.

The bill is scheduled to receive Royal Assent and come into immediate effect on 21st January.

So once again all videos and DVDs have to be vetted by state appointed censors and ludicrous restrictions, such as a ban on mail order porn, are restored.

This pair of shoplifters were caught on camera stealing sex toys from an adult shop.

Sex-shop chain Pulse and Cocktails, which has a branch in Blaydon, Gateshead, prides itself on offering a discreet service to customers calling in to browse its range of saucy lingerie, raunchy clothing and sex toys.

But two women were less than discreet when they entered the store, on Tundry Way, in full view of CCTV cameras to steal some of its kinky products.

They selected one sex-aid each, removed them from their packaging, and then left the shop without paying for them.

In total more than £100 worth of sex toys were stolen from the shop.

Police are now appealing to anyone who recognises the thieves, pictured, to get in touch. The shoplifters' images have been circulated by the independent charity, Crimestoppers.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police, said: Police are investigating a theft from a shop on Tundry Way in Blaydon Gateshead, on Monday, September 14. The items stolen have been described as 'sex aids'.

Pulse and Cocktails became Tyneside's first ever large-scale sex-superstore when it opened in 2002. And after Gateshead council approved its licence it became the borough's only licensed sex-shop, selling lingerie, pornographic videos, sex aids, and bondage equipment. However, the store caused controversy in 2008 when it erected huge bill-boards featuring scantily-clad women. Drivers complained they were distracting, and families said were unsuitable for children.

Anyone who recognises the women pictured or who has any information about this incident is asked to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. All callers can remain anonymous.

A sex shop owner has been ordered to pay almost £11,000 after refusing to get a licence from the council.

Martin Hale was taken to court by Southampton City Council when he ignored warnings that he needed to renew a licence for his Adult Gift Shop in Howard Road.

Hale challenged whether his shop came within the definition of a sex shop, denying that he needed a sex establishment licence.

But District Judge Calloway, sitting at Southampton Magistrates' Court, ruled he had no doubt in his mind that the premises were a sex shop.

Hale admitted three offences of trading without a licence. He was sentenced to fines totalling £6,000 and ordered to pay £4,973 costs.

The council charges a £7,500 fee for sex shop licence applications.

Hale has now applied for a licence which is due for consideration at a meeting next month.

The for sale signs have been taken down from Hull's most iconic adult store, after the owner was persuaded to keep it open.

Public reaction to the news of the possible closure of Gwenap adult store in Princes Avenue, west Hull, triggered a change of heart in Jim Starkey, who has run the store for 22 years.

Gwenap is instantly recognisable with its black and white facade and cheeky messages.

But after running the store for more than 20 years, Starkey announced in June he was calling it a day and looking for someone with fresh ideas to take over. Six months later, no one had come forward with a suitable proposal. But Starkey has decided to keep the shop going.