Sex shop opens seven days a week

Miss Sutton was given approval to dramatically expand the hours of trading at Secret Desires by councillors.

Arun District Council's licensing committee agreed last weekthat the Lyon Street West shop should open on Sundays and bank holidays for the first time.

The original permission granted last year only allowed Monday to Saturday opening.

But the committee, in renewing Miss Sutton's sex establishment licence for a further year, agreed to her request to extend its operation. Its members permitted opening between noon and 6pm on Sundays and bank holidays as well as her previous 9am to 8pm opening on six days of the week.

She only has to stay closed on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. The arrangement will be reviewed in 12 months.

Arun head of environmental services Paul Unsworth told Miss Sutton: 'The committee was concerned that a change to Sunday opening might offend some people of religious beliefs as they visited church. They sought to protect people's religious concerns and have fixed the opening hours outside of normal church hours. The councillors have taken account of your good record and your previous history and what goes on in other districts.'

Hastings-based Miss Sutton gained her original licence for Secret Desires last April and opened about a year ago.

She said: 'We have had a very successful year since we opened. The shop has been received very well and we are very popular. '