THE director of a company hoping to open a sex shop in Barmouth believes it would be “positive” for the town.
David Powley and Danny Miller are directors of DD Trading, the company behind the planning application to open an ‘Eva Amour’ shop at 6 St Anne’s Square, in a former butcher’s.
David said: “There is this idea that sex shops are quite seedy places like many were in the 1970s. The industry has moved on a lot since then, although the name of the licensing hasn’t.
"We are around the high end of things. We don’t sell tacky items, basically if we don’t like a product we don’t sell it.
“We feel attached to Barmouth, I fell in love with the area back in the 1980s.
“Moving to Barmouth doesn’t feel like moving somewhere new.
“It’s positive for Barmouth, it will be a destination shop. People will travel to come to the shop. These people will hopefully stay over and spend money elsewhere in the town.
“We have three full-time and one part-time staff. I know this will expand once the shop in Barmouth opens. The shop will bring local employment.
“We want to be a place where people can talk to us informally about sexual and mental health issues. We promote body positivity and are keen to work with local sexual health groups. If people want to drop in, we would be happy to accommodate. We feel it is good to work locally with people.”
Cllr Katie Price, mayor of Barmouth, said the plans to fill an empty shop in the town were “encouraging”.
She said: “The licence application has definitely got a lot of people in and around Barmouth talking, with differences of opinion shown on both sides. The application will be discussed at the next town council meeting, after which any representation will be made to Gwynedd Council if appropriate.
“Nobody wants an empty shop on the high street and it’s encouraging that a new business wants to invest in our area.”
David Brown, speaking as chairman of the Barmouth Publicity Association - a community-based group which aims to promote the area - said: “I think times have changed and whereas I am sure there are a handful of people who can manage to raise an outraged objection, I honestly think the vast majority will simply shrug and wish the new business well. Ultimately Barmouth needs strong, resilient businesses, based in the community. From what I can see this business would tick those boxes and as such I really can’t raise any objections.”
A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm, that the council’s Licensing Service has received an application for a sex establishment (shop) licence at 6 Anne’s Square, Barmouth.
“As is the case with any licensing application, it is the subject of a public consultation process which is currently open to the public until 9 March.”