The prestigious Oxford Union debating society is offering its members a ten per cent discount at a local sex shop.
The Oxford Union, which is open to students from the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University, is known for attracting top figures from public life to speak and was established in 1823.
One source said: “It’s incongruous with the image of the Union, its prestigious history and the list of great and good who have spoken there”.
Storm
The unnamed source, speaking to The Daily Telegraph, criticised the sex shop discount: “It is a sign of the times. Even a few years ago this wouldn’t have happened, or, if it had, it would have kicked up a storm of debate.”
The Oxford Union website states: “Your Union card just got a whole lot more valuable, with treats now available at 63 different businesses all over town.
It adds: “just flash your card to get your discount. Enjoy!”.
Negative
At an Oxford Union meeting in January the sex shop discount faced criticism with Eleanor Lischka, from Lincoln College at the University, saying the discount would give the Union “a negative image”. She said some members had complained to her about the partnership.
A former president of the Union claimed at the meeting that having the discount doesn’t encourage members to use the sex shop while someone else at the meeting said “we should be giving the members satisfaction”.
Alistair Walker, a Union spokesman, defended the scheme to a national newspaper commenting it was a “long-standing member’s discount” deal.
“This is just one of the 63 current discounts the Union’s current and former committee members have negotiated to ensure best value for its members,” he said.
Village
Last month hundreds of people turned out at a public meeting against plans for a sex shop near a small English village.
Sex shop company Cocktails Limited wants to open a store close to Sawtry, which has a population of just 6,000.
Ward Councillor Darren Tysoe, who chaired the public meeting, said a “unanimous and strong message” had been delivered that “we don’t want a sex shop in Sawtry”.
Distasteful
In a separate case in Cornwall a sex shop was granted a licence despite its location next door to a school uniform shop and in the face of much local opposition.
Vicky Trevail, who manages the school uniform shop said in July that the sex shop was “distasteful”.
She said children as young as three are going in and out of her shop.
“We don’t want something like that next door”, she commented, remarking: “We’re a cathedral city, we live in a nice street here and we’re all friendly and neighbourly”.