UK Sex Shop News

Sex shop licensing in Belfast is set hit the news again.

Back in 2003, the council refused a licence for Miss Behavin and announced a total ban on sex shops in the Gresham Street area, claiming that the city centre street, was somehow an unacceptable location.

Miss Behavin has been trading as an Unlicensed shop which restricts the range of products that can be sold, most notably hardcore R18 videos.

The shop owner appealed this and the Court of Appeal ruled against the council. However, in 2007, five law lords overturned that judgment

The businessman at the centre of that four-year legal battle to secure a licence has now submitted a fresh application.

Politicians are set to debate the issue at a special meeting of the council in October, with unionists expected to oppose the application. The SDLP has already said it will support it. Which seems a whole lot more promising than the total moral censorship imposed in 2003.

So far for this round, no objections have been received to the application and Northern Ireland police have offered no objections.

SDLP group leader Pat McCarthy said he would back the application and did not see any reason why his party colleagues would vote against it.

You go to any other city in the world and there are sex shops -- they are a part of reality. People order sex toys, pornography and everything. If you go on to the internet, it is there. So, unfortunately, it is a part of life. I can't see any reason why they (SDLP councillors) would vote against it because, legally, they are entitled to be there. It's a sign of the time we live in.

Other parties will be considering their stance.

Nice 'n' Naughty will shortly be celebrating their Crystal Anniversary. Yes it is 15 years since Nice 'n' Naughty opened its first shop in Chester on 31st August 1999. Fifteen years of hard work, commitment and ultimately success in the ever changing market that is Adult Retail. Fifteen years of witnessing at first hand the diversity of customers, the change in trends and more importantly of playing a leading role in shaping the industry. "I never would have thought of myself as a pioneer when we challenged Chester City Councils view in 2001 that adult stores should have blacked out windows, it just seemed right that we be allowed to put mannequins on display. In reality Nice 'n' Naughty set a new trend, which was not only followed by our other stores, but many of those in the industry", said Simon Prescott, Managing Director of Nice 'n' Naughty.

Nice 'n' Naughty recognised at an early stage that adult stores needed to shake off the stigma of being a male oriented environment and has been at the vanguard of creating a shopping experience in which women and couples feel equally comfortable in store, alongside the traditional male clients. Stores are bright, interesting, friendly and of course welcoming. Prescott believes that staff play a pivotal role in creating the environment and all staff undergo rigorous training in all aspects of product and service. Knowledgeable, helpful and friendly staff is a key to Nice 'n' Naughty's success and why they have grown to 11 stores across the UK, ranging from Brighton in the south, to Newcastle in the north. Indeed Nice 'n' Naughty was awarded the acclaimed Investors in People award in recognition of their commitment to staff development.

However, Nice 'n' Naughty recognises that for a store to be successful, it must successfully integrate into the local community. That's one reason why Nice 'n' Naughty sponsor local football, netball and cricket teams, as well as being involved in numerous charity events at a local and national level.

Throughout the fifteen years Nice 'n' Naughty's contribution to the industry has been consistently recognised, winning the prestigious UK Retailer of the Year no less than six times, together with individual Shop of the Year and on two occasions, European Retailer of the Year. Prescott says "winning the awards is simply a reflection of the tremendous hard work and dedication of the Nice 'n' Naughty team. We are fortunate in having staff that genuinely care about customer service and enjoyment of our products. Whilst it would be wrong to single out any individuals, it would be equally wrong not to mention Trish Murray, the Operations Manager, who makes things tick on a daily basis. She is a mother hen to our staff, a source of council to our suppliers and an invaluable asset of the Company".

Suppliers are another key reason for Nice 'n' Naughty's continued success. Nice 'n' Naughty recognises and values the expertise, product knowledge, market knowledge and trend awareness of its supply chain and likes to work in true partnerships with them. Naturally, Nice 'n' Naughty looks to obtain the most favourable deals possible but never at the expense of quality and service. "We also listen to suppliers" says Prescott "and act on their advice. For example who would have thought that Fifty Shades would have had such an effect on changing bedroom etiquettes? Fortunately our suppliers recognised this and helped us shape our product ranges to meet that demand".

So for 15 years Nice 'n' Naughty has had a growing presence on UK High Streets. Fifteen years of controlled expansion, consolidation and more recently a small reduction in stores, reflecting the difficulty the High Street has seen in the last four years of the economic climate. And of course fifteen years of an ever growing internet presence for Nice 'n' Naughty resulting in a fantastic online offering at www.nicennaughty.co.uk

So what gift would Prescott like to celebrate the Crystal anniversary? Nothing says Prescott. "Instead of receiving, I would like to celebrate by giving all our customers a 15 % discount on any purchases in September as a Thank you for helping Nice 'n' Naughty become the success it is today. Just pop into our stores, sing Happy Birthday (or just say it if you prefer) and they will deduct 15% from your bill. For those customers who buy on line, simply type BIRTHDAY at the checkout".

Nice 'n' Naughty has been an established brand on our High Street for the last fifteen years and will undoubtedly be so for the next. Their ability to recognise and adapt to change is a hall mark of the Company and this, coupled with firm financial foundations, can only see them go from strength to strength. "I would like to thank our customers for their patronage over a memorable fifteen year journey together and I eagerly look forward to the next fifteen years" Says Prescott

Update: A good write up in the local press

30th August 2014. See  article from  chesterfirst.co.uk

Nice 'n' Naughty opened its first store in Chester on 31st August 1999. The shop's management has spent the 15 years modernising its image and making for an attractive and enjoyable shopping experience.

The store now boasts a colourful shop front and sponsorship agreements with local football, cricket and netball teams. Managing director Simon Prescott  told the Leader:

I never would have thought of myself as a pioneer when we challenged Chester City Council's view in 2001 that adult stores should have blacked out windows, it just seemed right we be allowed to put mannequins on display. In reality Nice 'n' Naughty set a new trend, which was not only followed by our other stores, but many of those in the industry.

The policy has worked well and the firm has expanded to 11 stores from Brighton to Newcastle.

...Read the full article

A sharp rise in the sale of sex toys has been reported in the UK as Brits celebrate National Orgasm Day.

Sex toy retailer Ann Summers told the Daily Star after a thorough research in sales of their saucy products. it was found that there has been a sharp spike since last week's advertisement hit the internet.

The combined effects of celebrating National Orgasm Day and recent release of the Fifty Shades of Grey promo have jointly contributed to these roaring sales of kinky toys. Specifically, bondage-style accessories have witnessed increased sales.

Ann Summers said that within an hour of the trailer release, there was a 55% surge in web traffic which was followed by sale of more than 500 pairs of handcuffs.

A former shop owner who was prosecuted for selling hardcore porn DVDs has been handed a 12-month community order and told he must complete 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also fined £560.

Nadeem Raja pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the supply of explicit material without a BBFC classification and in a place other than a licensed sex shop, as well as infringing copyright laws.

Burton Magistrates' Court heard Trading Standards staff from East Staffordshire Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council made a visit to Booze City in Derby Street on April 25 last year after a complaint was made that explicit material was being sold on the premises. Khalid Mahmood, prosecuting, said:

During this visit 36 DVDs were seized. On June 10 a sample of six was sent away and on June 18 we received a report stating that out of these six, three DVDs were genuine, however they were classified as R18, a restricted classification. They are only permitted for sale in licensed cinemas and sex shops.

In addition, the other three DVDs that had been sent away were found to be copies of the original disks, meaning that they had infringed section 114 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

More than 750 retail jobs are at risk after the UK stores of lingerie chain La Senza went into administration for the second time in just over two years.

A corporate rescue team from PwC said it will listen to offers for the 55-store chain. PwC will continue to trade the businesses as normal whilst discussions take place with interested parties over a sale.

Marnixheath, operates the La Senza stores in the UK. Robert Moran, who has been appointed joint administrator of Marnixheath, said:

Like many other retailers, La Senza has been hit hard by the difficult economic environment and a slowdown in consumer spending.