UK Sex Shop News

Ann Summers has launched a restructuring plan to cut rents at 25 of its stores.

The high street chain, which runs 91 outlets, said it has already agreed revised rental terms on its other branches following discussions with landlords in recent months.

However, it said it will now seek a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) deal to move its remaining stores on to turnover-based rents.

Update: Success

24th December 2020. See article from expressandstar.com

Creditors of Ann Summers have approved a plan which would slash rents at two dozen of its stores. The company said that 90% of votes had been cast in favour of its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), which switches 25 of its stores onto turnover-base rents.

The firm had already agreed new rents with the landlords at 91 of its other branches, it confirmed earlier this week when announcing the plan.

No jobs will be lost, or stores closed as part of the CVA.

A Sydney sex shop owner has revealed how an idea created to help her store survive lockdown has turned into a money-maker, with the shop citing doubled revenues.

The idea was born during Australia's total lockdown of non-essential shops. Eloise Monaghan, the founder of Honey Birdette, explained:

I was frightened for my brand but it made us think, 'right, what can we do?'

So we did virtual appointments, Zoom rooms, Insta rooms, virtual erotic book readings -- but private appointments were the COVID option that really emerged as a banger.

Honey Birdette revealed it doubled its revenue by closing its doors to the public and opening up for private shopping experiences. Customers are then given a glass of champagne on arrival and the privacy to explore everything the label has to offer, with the limited number of guests ensuring COVID-Safe practices are upheld.

The idea proved so popular, Honey Birdette voluntarily closed the doors of a store to the public altogether, only accepting private bookings made through the brand's website.

In the next few months a new appointment-only store will open and it's only the beginning for the global brand, with plans to roll it out in other cities and countries.

Since beginning what can only be described as an unforgettable adventure back in 1999 when the doors first opened at 129 Brook Street, Chester, Nice 'n' Naughty have been an adult chain that has happily changed with the times.

For 21 years, Nice 'n' Naughty have been trend setters in the adult industry, from the early days where they challenged Chester City Council to be allowed to put mannequins in their store windows to the present day where they battled to take their rightful place on the High Street.

Located on Sankey Street, a main thoroughfare in Warrington, Boutique by Nice & Naughty is the new face of the company and a flagship store for the adult industry, offering a truly unique customer experience.

Trish Murray, who has been with the company from the very beginning, has seen not only the adult industry change in the past 21 years but also the general shopping experience, she explains; "the High Street as we know it has changed drastically over the years, and for any company to survive in bricks and mortar stores, you must evolve."

"Following a luxurious refurbishment of the very first Nice 'n' Naughty store in Chester, we saw the potential that the Boutique model offered, giving our customers not only the best products on the market and outstanding customer service, but also a superior shopping environment and we have replicated this in the new Sankey Street store and will continue with this theme in 2021 in Brighton."

As life has been anything but normal this year Trish is proud that the company has been able to support and look after all their staff throughout what has been a challenging time. Trish says, "The decision was made by our Senior Team, to close the stores prior to the Government announcement. We have parents and some staff who are high risk and we felt our responsibility to protect them was greater than it was to open the stores. We also guaranteed everyone 100% of their pay including any bonuses earnt so that there was no additional stress or worry and it was the right decision. We are now enjoying being back and having that interaction with our customers once again, albeit at a safe distance."

Nice 'n' Naughty have remained accessible via their Website throughout the pandemic offering home delivery across the country and have tried to brighten the mood a little via their multiple Social Media platforms. The Website is currently going through its own transition as well to remain in line with the new store format. "Our website has been a key tool for customers during the pandemic, being able to offer our customers a continued service whilst the stores were closed has been fantastic. We are now looking at making some updates that will make the online shopping experience cleaner and crisper and we are excited to see its completion" explains Trish.

As Trish Murray looks back at the Nice 'n' Naughty journey, she says that there is nothing she would change about the past 21 years in the adult industry, "I have been around the world, met suppliers and celebrities, been nominated for and won many awards and made some life long friends, but I have also come full circle, back to the town I was born and raised in and back on the street where I began my working career. I still love coming to work and that is because Nice 'n' Naughty is a family and a great place to be."

Looking to the future, she envisions shops where the customers can sit and relax with a barista coffee whilst browsing and discussing the options of the products available with experienced and knowledgeable staff to offer the best advice and guidance.

With their streamlined business model, fantastic looking Warrington & Chester stores and their up and coming new look Brighton store and website, Nice 'n' Naughty, led by Trish, boldly step forward with confidence and are looking forward to the challenges ahead of the next 21 years.

Boutique by Nice & Naughty, 66A Sankey Street, Warrington, WA1 1SB

Nice 'n' Naughty Chester, 127-129 Brook Street, Chester, CH1 3DU

Nice 'n' Naughty Brighton, 32. St. James's Street, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1RF

Lingerie and sex toys specialist Ann Summers is poised to launch a CVA (Credit Valuation Adjustment) after suffering increased losses in its latest reported year.

Ann Summers chief executive Jacqueline Gold set out in stark terms the options facing the retailer as some landlords refused to work in partnership (lower rents) despite the owning family pumping in more cash.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has said she wants to explicitly remove any legal ban on supplying poppers, a muscle-relaxing drug used by gay men during sex.

In a letter to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, she acknowledges the law on the liquid, whose scientific name is alkyl nitrites, is uncertain. Possession is not illegal but supply can sometimes be an offence.

Poppers, used recreationally since the 1970s, give an instant high when inhaled, usually from a bottle, and work as a muscle relaxant. The government's Frank drugs information website says:

Poppers have a strong solvent smell and are often sold as 'room aromas', 'deodorisers' and 'leather cleaners', but they're not actually used in this way. They can be found in sex shops, clubs, market stalls and online. Because poppers increases blood flow and can relax the walls of the anus and vagina, some people take it while they're having sex.

During a Commons debate in 2016, Conservative MP Crispin Blunt declared himself a user and asked for poppers to be specifically excluded from the Psychoactive Substances Bill - aimed at stopping the use of legal highs - arguing that banning supply would be fantastically stupid. MPs rejected his call and the bill passed into law without this exemption.

But the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) advised ministers that poppers would not fall into the scope of the Psychoactive Substances Act because, unlike legal highs, they did not have a direct effect on the central nervous system.

However, this view was thrown into doubt in 2018 when a Court of Appeal judgement confirmed that substances which have only an indirect psychoactive effect, such as poppers, could still be covered by the legislation.

Offsite Comment: Have We Banned Poppers by Mistake?

15th August 2020. See article from lawandsexuality.wordpress.com

More than £30,000 will be refunded to sex shops in Nottingham after it was revealed that shops were being overcharged for their licenses.

It comes after the council was challenged on the price it charges for sex shops to renew their licences. Previously, uncontested applications for licence renewals had to be heard by a full committee, and the costs involved were passed on to the applicant.

However, since 2017, decisions have actually been taken by an officer, at a lower cost, but the applicants were still being charged the costs for the committee.

As a result, Nottingham City Council has decided to refund the additional costs, backdated to 2016 when the challenge was lodged. It means in total £30,876 will be paid back to three sex shops in the city.

March 1st, 2020 saw the appointment of Nice 'n' Naughty's first CEO in its 21-year history, and that lady was no stranger to the company. Emma Humphreys, who headed the organisation of the company's annual awards night, is well known in the industry and has always been a major part of the Nice 'n' Naughty family.

Having started with Nice 'n' Naughty 10 years ago this coming August, as a part time accounts assistant, Emma's dedication to the business has seen her grow within the company to the position she is recognised with today, Chief Executive Officer,

During her journey with Nice 'n' Naughty, she has progressed from her part time roll in Accounts, to head of HR, Health and Safety and has handled the licensing of the company's stores for the last 8 years and most recently has taken on the company payroll as well as additional accounts duties.

Emma was a key player in the team who were instrumental in sourcing the purpose-built headquarters and website space within the heart of one of Cheshire's major towns, utilising skills to design and organise the transition from two separate locations into this new hub of industry in Warrington. Without her hard work and determination, the license of the new Boutique store on Sankey Street in Warrington would have also been an impossible task.

Trish Murray, Director, commented:

Emma has the 2020 vison that both myself and Simon Prescott have for the company. There is not a single member of the Nice 'n' Naughty team that doesn't hold Emma in the highest of regards, and having been with Nice 'n' Naughty from the beginning, I was impressed with how Emma worked with the council on the application of the new Boutique store, all this while still doing the school run every day!

Emma is affectionately known as the Mother of the Team and is held in the highest of esteem by the whole team, who know they can contact her at any time, and this new role not only reflects her position in the company but is also reflective of the 10 years of loyal commitment to Nice 'n' Naughty and all its team.

Since the UK went in to lockdown with Covid-19, Emma has been a one woman powerhouse for the company, not only ensuring the website runs smoothly, with its orders processed and dispatched daily, but also ensuring support to every single member of the team, from the director down.

Telephone calls and WhatsApp messages have been at the core of her communication with all the Nice 'n' Naughty family, keeping us all connected with each other through these unprecedented times. All the while, Emma takes on her additional role as home teacher to her family. As we prepare to re-open the stores, Emma is also sourcing the specific safety and hygienic items needed for our staff and customers to ensure they are safe and secure.

Emma Humphreys, new CEO of Nice 'n' Naughty said:

I am honoured to be offered this position and will continue to support both Directors and all the staff in every way I can. Nice 'n' Naughty is such a unique company in this industry, as we all work together to create an environment that is both perfect for the customer and the employee. I have always been aware that the people within this company gives it its strength, and I am an example of how the company invests in the team and see's the potential that each one of us has and strives for us to achieve this. I will take on this new role knowing the future is going to be incredible for all of us.

The Private Shop in Reading has closed after more than a decade of trading.

The shop now looks set to be converted to flats.