A sex shop licence has been granted for a second time to a shop operating next door to a school uniform store in Truro, Cornwall.
However, the sex shop failed to get permission for an expansion.
The licensing committee of Cornwall Council decided to rehear the application, after it unlawfully granted a licence the first time.
Granted
After rehearing the application yesterday, the licence was granted despite local residents and Truro City Council being opposed to the move.
There were also serious questions over the suitability of the location, being adjacent to a school uniform store frequented by families with young children.
The licence means that the shop can sell R18 videos – the most hard-core pornographic films legally available in the UK.
Unsuitable
Yesterday’s re-hearing was the result of a successful legal action taken by The Christian Institute and local resident, Armorel Carlyon.
The legal action argued that the Council had acted unlawfully in failing to consider the suitability of the location, and in failing to properly consider the legitimate objections of local residents.
Ignored
Responding to news that the licence has been granted for the second time, The Christian Institute’s Mike Judge said: “We’re obviously disappointed at the result. It’s a decision that ignores local democracy, and ignores common sense.
“The law gives local authorities the power to refuse sex shop licences for locations that are unsuitable. If next door to a school uniform store isn’t unsuitable, I don’t know what is.”