Concern over sex shop bid

Plans for a racy window display at a Kidderminster sex shop have come under fire amid fears it could offend the town's Muslim community.

But the owner, himself a Muslim, today said the fears were unfounded. Simply Pleasure.com has applied to change its licence so it can display items such as lingerie in its Horsefair store.

But the move has led to protests from both a councillor and a church leader in the town who say it could offend both Muslims and other members of the community.

Wyre Forest District Councillor Fran Oborski said: "I wouldn't want them to display items in the window. I don't object to the shop's existence but I think the local Muslim community would be very upset if goods were displayed in the window as I am sure other members of the community would be too."

Canon Owain Bell, pictured, chairman of the Horsefair, Broadwaters and Greenhill Partnership, said: "I think it would cause offence to quite a few people. At the moment the shop is fairly inoffensive. You know what they are but you don't see anything."

But Tim Hemming, owner of Simply Pleasure.com said: "It would not be offensive to the Muslim community because I am a Muslim. We have 38 licensed sex shops in the country and 50 per cent have open windows. The open window will have nothing offensive just lingerie and other items that people would see in other high street stores like Ann Summers and Le Senza."