A sex shop that wants to bring "joy to people's lives" will open in Liverpool city centre after licensing plans were approved.
Scandals, which already has adult stores in Bootle and Birkenhead, has been granted a licence to open up a new shop in the basement of the Bling Bling building in Hanover Street in central Liverpool.
The family-run business is fronted by young couple Catherine Kershaw and Ben Hughes. They spoke before a meeting of the council's licensing hearing at Liverpool Town Hall today.
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The couple spoke passionately about their ambition to banish the old, lazy stereotypes of sex shops and adult stores and make the idea of people talking about sex and learning how to enjoy their sex lives normal and mainstream.
Catherine, 33, whose parents started the Scandals business, told the meeting: "Once people cross the threshold into our stores, everyone acts maturely and like adults in a well controlled and comfortable environment.
"We have served people from ages 18 to 80, of all races, religions and sexualities, people feel respected when they come in - it isn't seedy. People can discuss intimate issues with us and ask for advice and help, we have helped lots of people."
Catherine and Ben said that opening a shop up in the centre of Liverpool is the next natural step for their business. Catherine added: "We don't want to be out on the fringes, we won't last there, so a city centre location is the natural progression for us."
The application has been met with opposition from Merseyside Youth Association (MYA) which occupies the unit next door on Hanover Street. In a letter to the local authority’s licensing committee, Gill Bainbridge, MYA chief executive said the charity had been located on Hanover Street for the past 22 years and felt the basement next door was not “an appropriate site for a sex shop.”
These concerns were raised at the meeting by Cllr Malcolm Kelly, but the couple gave assurances at how well controlled the entrance to the new store will be - with access only permitted via a buzzer system and a door with frosted glass.
The licensing panel took just ten minutes to decide that Scandals should be granted a licence for its new venture. The new Scandals store will open between 9am and 10pm from Monday to Saturday and between 10am and 6pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays and it is hoped it should start to welcome customers in a few months.
Speaking after the hearing, Catherine and Ben said: "We are so excited to open up in the heart of Liverpool and we think this decision shows how open-hearted and accepting this city is. People will be really comfortable and respected when visiting our new shop."
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