Warehouses stocking thousands of sex products in Elmbridge, for sale on the internet, may have to high- tail it out of town after councillors promised to crack down on the practice.

Elmbridge Council has “zero tolerance” for establishments trading as sex shops in the area, but at a licensing committee meeting this week, it was revealed companies based in the borough selling sex toys on the internet were also contravening council policy.

Councillors at the meeting on Monday, September 14, had gathered to discuss reviewing the policy on sex establishments in the area, but decided to defer the matter until next month, when a Police and Crime Bill dealing with the issue goes through Parliament.

But Councillor Ian Donaldson, who represents Hersham North, queried whether warehouses selling sex products online from Elmbridge addresses were breaking the law.

He said: “If you go on to the internet, there are many resources available in the locality [that sell sex toys]. Are these places ‘establishments’ and what would the council do about it?”

Robin Barnes, the council’s licensing manager, replied that these warehouses would be classed as “sex establishments” and would therefore need a licence from Elmbridge Council to continue trading.

He said: “Even a warehouse selling by mail order is considered a shop and needs a licence.”

He added that, although he had not been aware of any such online sites based in Elmbridge, he would look into them.

Coun Victor Eldridge, who represents Molesey South, then asked whether it would be appropriate for all councillors to check on the internet to see if there were any warehouses in their areas selling sex products.

Chairman of the meeting, Coun Christopher Elmer, said because of the content of these websites, it would be a matter for each councillor to decide on personally.

Speaking after the meeting, Coun Donaldson said he believed the council would be able to do something about the issue, but was surprised they did not know the warehouses existed.

He said: “I have sent the web address of the warehouse in question to Robin Barnes and I hope the council looks into it. We don’t want that sort of thing around here.

“I never thought I’d be bringing up the subject of sex warehouses at a council meeting. Is it my job to be looking for sex warehouses in Elmbridge?”

The Elmbridge Guardian contacted the company, based in Hersham Road, Walton, which sells a range of sex-related products via mail order. Although a member of staff said he was not aware the company was breaking any law, it had no comment to make at the present time.

A spokesman for Elmbridge Council said: “We have today been made aware of a premises which we are currently investigating and about which we could not comment further at this time. There are no other such premises known of in the borough. If we receive information there are premises of this type in the borough, we would make an investigation.”

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