Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Jake Brigstock

The rules on men being topless in UK shops as temperatures to soar today

With Friday (June 17) set to be the hottest day of the year so far, many people will want to wear as little as possible in an effort to try and keep cool. Temperatures are expected to hit 30 degrees Celsius in parts of Nottinghamshire, and it will be even hotter than that in southern parts of the country.

A very high pollen count is expected too, and winds could reach speeds of up to 31mph. It's led to the Met Office issuing warnings, with guidance being issued on signs of overheating.

One of the ways men may be likely to try and keep cool is to take tops off, even when going into places such as supermarkets or shops. But is this legal to do so?

Read more: Nottingham syndicate greyhound bought in friend's memory

It is not an offence to be naked in public, but it is if there is the intention to upset or shock others. The Crown Prosecution Service says while every case should be taken into account on its individual merit, it is not normally an offence to be naked in public in the absence of sexual content and if there is no intention to cause alarm or distress.

The Crown Prosecution Service says: "Naturism is used to describe the activities of persons who espouse nudity as part of their lifestyle. In the case of naturism a balance needs to be struck between the naturist's right to freedom of expression and the right of the wider public to be protected from harassment, alarm and distress.

"Although every case should be considered according to its own facts and merits in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, a consistent approach to naturism should be adopted to maintain public confidence in the CPS. In the absence of any sexual context and in relation to nudity where the person has no intention to cause alarm or distress it will normally be appropriate to take no action unless members of the public were actually caused harassment, alarm or distress (as opposed to considering the likelihood of this)."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.