Councillors will try to define exactly what constitutes a sex shop following a row over the Adult Shop in Gillygate, York.

The Environmental Services Committee will be asked to recommend a change in wording to the sex shop licence following the confusion over whether the Gillygate premises fitted the criteria.

Currently a shop only requires a licence if a significant degree of its products are sex articles, and "significant degree" has previously been defined as five per cent.

But the recommendation of the report by the Director of Environment and Development Services, is that each application now be given "individual consideration" and that the five per cent guideline be deleted.

The Adult Shop, which sells inflatable animals, erotic videos and handcuffs, has attracted several complaints and a Salvation Army petition signed by 190 horrified campaigners who want to see the shop closed down.

Owner Nick Griffin said: "I run my business in a responsible way. Although I have only been in business in York for a short time, it is clear to me that there is a need for an outlet such as mine."

He had previously accused the business community of trying to drive his shop out of the city.

Mr Griffin said York punters had been voting with their feet for the shop and takings proved there was a market for the novelty items it sold.

Only five per cent of the stock was sex related, he said.

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