ABSTRACT
Sex shops in England have traditionally been viewed as masculinized spaces of consumption, frequented in the margins of both the city and the clock; in decaying urban zones, hidden from view and frequented under the cover of darkness. In recent decades there has been a shift towards more fashion conscious, female-oriented erotic boutiques, which are positioned in central areas of towns and cities. Local council's ability to refuse sex establishment licences was strengthened following the introduction of the Policing and Crime Act 2009. When applying for a sex establishment licence, the applicant must include the payment of the cost of the licence which, in the majority of district councils, is non-refundable or only refundable in part. Ironically, the sex establishment license was brought into being with the intention of controlling the number and geographical locations of sex shops, yet it has contributed to the inadvertent proliferation of non-licensed erotic boutiques in central retail locations.
