Skegness Magazine

Source: Skegness Standard 2001

News article discussing the licence application for a sex shop to be opened on Lumley Road, Skegness, behind the present day Pulse and Cocktail premises.

Mr Arabin submitted the application, which would allow him to sell various products, including sex toys, novelties, soft toys, personal massagers, lingerie and “soft” videos, to East Lindsey District Council.

TOWN councillors are objecting to a sex shop opening in Skegness.
They have registered their opposition to an application from Richard Arabin for a “sex establishment licence” for a premises off the town’s main shopping street.
Mr Arabin’s application to East Lindsey District Council for a licence for Studio 26, 26 Lumley Road, has already attracted a petition containing 110 signatures in opposition.
If approved by the district’s licensing committee, it would allow him to sell various products, including sex toys, novelties, soft toys, personal massagers, lingerie and “soft” videos.
Town clerk Mr Alan Crawshaw said it was planned to open the premises between 9am and 5.30pm.
The shop would not be visible from the street. Access would be via a side door and then down a flight of stairs, councillors on the town’s planning committee heard.
Town Mayor Coun Mrs Sue Binch said a lot of the toys referred to were already on sale in other shops in Skegness, including one on the foreshore.
She said it was not a shop she wished to frequent, but these kinds of establishments were in every town. The proposed site was not in view of anybody and, as long as it was monitored, she would have no objections.
Coun Mrs Ruth Amis could not see any problems with it either.
She said she would prefer to see it tucked away rather than with a blacked out Lumley Road frontage.
But Coun Neil Pimperton was adamant that this was the wrong place for a sex establishment.
“Skegness is a family resort,” he said. “This is in the wrong place, about 300 yards away from a school.”
Holidaymakers and customers of a tattoo studio had access to the area and this sort of place should not be there, he said.
“If we grant this licence it opens up anything to go on behind those doors. We have got to safeguard other shopkeepers in this area.
Mrs Binch and Mrs Amis supported the application, but Couns Pimperton, Dick Edginton, John Shaw and Ken Milner voted against on the grounds that the site is in the wrong place.
Couns Terry Bryan and Ken Holland left the meeting having declared an interest because they are members of the district’s licensing committee, which will make the final decision.