Truro sex shop wins approval to continue trading

Manager Nicky Hewett has fought to keep the sex shop open

A sex shop in Cornwall which has faced a campaign for its closure has been granted a licence for the second time.

The Truro-based company trading as Mrs Palm Ltd had attracted opposition because it is located next to a shop selling school uniforms.

Legal action was taken by Truro resident Armorel Carlyon and The Christian Institute.

In April the High Court allowed a judicial review of Cornwall Council's decision to grant the initial licence.

The Christian Institute claimed that Cornwall Council disregarded relevant material relating to the suitability of the location.

At the time the shop was already stocked and trading.

The owners of the shop immediately applied for a 'waiver' to trade without a licence in the interim which was granted by the council's miscellaneous licensing committee.

At a new hearing on Wednesday, the licence was approved again by councillors.

This second licence allows the owner to sell adult DVDs and videos.

Manager Nicky Hewett said it had been a "testing few months".

She said: "No-one that has actually come into the shop has ever found anything offensive in here at all, everything is licensed goods and we are lawfully allowed to sell them."