ONE of the country's biggest sex shop operators has been granted a licence to open a branch in Maidstone town centre.

Darker Enterprises Ltd has been given the go-ahead to trade in Week Street by Maidstone council's licensing committee. The premises are currently occupied by a shop called Private Lines.

Councillors granted the application despite three objections. Among the objectors was Cllr Jenni Paterson (Lib Dem) who outlined her opposition to the application as a member of the public.

"This shop will attract a clientele whose sexual appetites are beyond the norm," she claimed.

She said she was also worried about schoolgirls having to walk past the shop and claimed a sex shop was not a suitable business to have located in one of the town's main thoroughfares.

"It will have the ability to attract people to it who we may not want to come into contact with young girls and families," claimed Cllr Paterson.

With another sex shop already trading in Upper Stone Street, she also questioned whether there was a need for a second one in the town.

An attempt by St Luke's Church to oppose the application was rejected by the committee as the letter of objection had arrived outside the deadline for objections to be received.