Nurses' sex shop window complaint
OOH, matron — nurses in Port Talbot have been getting all hot and bothered about a saucy shop window display.
They are said to have been offended by the display, which included nurse uniforms, at the town's only sex shop.
Now, a long-running row about Secret Desires, which opened in 2006 amid a storm of controversy, is set to reach a conclusion.
Its licence is up for renewal and councillors will meet tomorrow to decide whether to renew it, change it or even throw it out.
But already Taibach's two ward members say they have had numerous complaints from residents about a raunchy window display at the Commercial Road shop.
John Rogers and Anthony Taylor said: "They (the residents) believe some of the items that have been featured have been of an offensive nature and unsuitable for passers-by on a main road.
"Of particular concern was a display that included nurse uniforms, which generated complaints from local nurses who felt they were being subjected to an unfair and degrading image of their profession."
They point out the original licence holders had no intention of having any window displays but, since a new owner took over, that was no longer the case. They want a condition "to reflect the concerns of the local community" consisting only of a blanked-out background in the window.
Council legal chief David Michael said Secret Desires had been subjected to two unannounced visits by officers over the past 12 months and was found to be in compliance with the terms of its licence.
Last September, a window display at the premises resulted in 13 letters of complaint being submitted to the council, as well as representations from the two ward members.
Mr Michael will set out the options available to tomorrow's registration and licensing committee meeting. These are to renew the licence — either unchanged or with amendments — or to refuse to renew it.
"The committee should take into account the fact that no objections have been received from the police, but equally will need to consider the basis of the objections from the ward councillors," said Mr Michael.
30 Comments
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by Annie Davies, About 300 yards from that shop
Monday, March 02 2009, 6:35PM
“What on eath is all the fuss about, i think the councillors are doing a fabulous job in advertising this shop for the owner, i bet he or she is loving it. when the shop opened they had a moan,Has there been any trouble directly caused by its existence? i doubt it! I am in my eighties and my granddaughter is typing this for me,when i wasa young girl it was a turn on for men to see an ankle now we are nearly a century later and things have changed, but im sure these two oafs want to go back to the days i was a young girl( well not a bad idea but not for the councillors reasons) come on you two get a life and get into the 21st century,YES THE TWENTY FIRST and as for the nurses who were offended, what utter rubbish i bet they dont even exist! .On the day the display went in i commented to my neighbour what a nice change it was to see the window looking pretty instead of the plain front, niether of us were upset an she is as old as me!”
by Mandy Hammett, Hull
Thursday, February 26 2009, 10:36PM
“As a female prison Officer I have heard every comment there is about women in uniform. who ever got upset about this.....really should get a sense of humour. I look upon my unform as a theatrical costume...no more. it does not reflect me, as a person. Lighten up and got off this stupid over PC bandwagon.”
by D Walker, Wales
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 6:38PM
“Here are just a few questions I would like the nurses from this article to consider: - Do the Nurses ever go out socialising for a drink and see people in fancy dress costumes? What if they do, are they going to get the pub shut down because they have let people in wearing a fancy dress costume that depicts a nurse? What about the fancy dress shop where they hired or bought the costume from, are they for the high jump next? Or do they complain about the window display at the fancy dress hire shop, which might have been Jennys Den that is by the way next door to the shop in question? Where will it stop?
A. N Other”
by Marj, Swansea
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 6:23PM
“I get more offended when I see nurses wearing the uniforms around supermarkets etc!”
by R, Swansea
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 8:52PM
“Dont see whats so offending to be honest. Nurses uniforms have always been an object of sexual fantasy. Same as fireman and officers. I bet the offended Nurse wouldnt mind seeing them in the window. Ive been to Amsterdam several times and there is much more hardcore items in the windows, good job the dutch are not so easily upset.”
by Bronwyn, Neath
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 8:50PM
“How ridiculous all this is!!! It´s 2009 and a few small minded people are upset about a window display with a fun little nurses outfit! I am a nurse and we certainly arent all prudes I can assure you.
As for the shop, I would never have dared go inside it when it had its old blacked out windows, it just looked seedy and somewhere a woman wouldnt fancy venturing. Now it looks like a female friendly place from outside, and it is - yes I was curious enough to go inside last year when the window display was first allowed. I personally think the window display with some saucy lingerie attracts women and makes them realise they can go and have a look inside, rather than offending.”
by Vicky, Bournemouth
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 8:20PM
“As ever, the prudes and nimbies have done a fine job in advertising the one thing they want stopped. I hope the shop makes a mint off the back of all this publicity!!! Good on yer!”
by rosie, scotland
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 7:54PM
“i have been in nursing since 1977 and have never heard the likes of it these "nurses" are needing to grow a thicker skin and "carry on"”
by Penny, PT
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 7:46PM
“As a wife and mother from the area I have visited this shop on several occasions and have never found anything to be offended or disgusted about, either in the window or in the shop itself. The staff have always been very friendly, helpful and polite and I will be visiting again shortly.
I do not understand how people in this day and age can be so negative and offended by a few harmless dressing up outfits in a shop window. I am sure that all of us at some time in our lives have worn fancy dress clothing and to adults in a free country this is just an extension of that.
I for one would feel a lot more inhibited in visiting the shop if the window display was blacked out as that just gives the appearance of there being something seedy going on that has to be hidden away, when this really is not the case.
If this shop is no longer able to display models in a fully dressed state should not the likes of 'La Senza' and 'Agent Provocateur' also have to have their windows blacked out as the models in their windows generally have a lot less clothing on.
Also will the main stream competitor of this business 'Ann Summers' also have to have blackened windows because I walked past there last weekend, and guess what....they had models in dressing up clothes and lingerie on full display.....
Please can the minority of people who get offended by such displays make a point of not looking in the shop window and then I am sure they will be less offended by the displays and we will be less offended by their narrow minded bigotry.
Thank You”
by Paul Lloyd, West Cross
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 6:04PM
“anon. We've got one dummy too many in Mumbles.”