A Brentwood Gazette-backed campaign to stop a sex shop opening in Kings Road has forced the company behind the plans to think again.

Ever since the licensing application to open a 'sex establishment' was first submitted in October the Gazette has helped to support residents express their outrage over the proposals.

Hundreds of protesters from across the borough wrote into the council to vent their anger at the plans and many used the 'Stop the Sex Shop' vouchers published by the Gazette to help make sure residents' voices were heard.

Protesters had expected the issue to be settled at a Licensing Appeals Panel next month, but the applicant, Bright Light Leisure Ltd, has now withdrawn the application.

More than 200 letters and petitions were received by the council with just a handful supporting the scheme.

Bright Light Leisure has now informed the council there are a number of issues it needs to address before it can take the application any further.

However, the company's manager Marc Lewis, who already operates six sex shops across the eastern region including London and Cambridge, has not ruled out resubmitting an application.

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Published Friday January 23, 2004

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