‘No complaints’ as erotic sex event at the Ricoh Arena is given go-ahead by the council

AN erotic sex trade show in Coventry has been given the go-ahead by council bosses.

Coventry City Council’s licensing manager Debbie Cahalin-Heath said she had “a lot of confidence” in the operators of The Erotic Trade Only Show.

The two-day inviteonly event at the Ricoh Arena in March will showcase items including adult toys, lingerie, novelty goods, lubricants, and condoms.

It is the second year running the show has come to Coventry, but Ms Cahalin-Heath said there was “no complaints” at the last event being held.

She said at a licensing committee on Tuesday, February 4: “Last year it was really well run and we have got a lot of confidence in the operators.

“There was no complaints. I was very satisfied of the controls we had in place.”

The event describes itself as ‘the UK’s No.1 erotic trade show’ on its website.

Per local government legislation, the firm must seek a sex establishment licence fee to hold the event, which normally costs £5,768 per annum.

Last year the fee was waived as the council did not have a policy to charge for two days, with bosses stating the £5,768 charge was “unreasonable”.

This year, new rules were agreed in January which will require the organisers of the event to pay £800 to waive the requirement for a sex establishment licence to cover the costs of processing the application.

Ms Cahalin-Heath said the applicant has already paid the fee, which means - unlike last year it will not be held at a financial cost to the council.

She added: “This event is a trade only event and access by invitation only. There is no public access at all. It is quite discreet how they do it.

“There is no commercial transactions, it is simply a networking event.

“There is a small percentage of sex toys and the large proportion are things like condoms and pharmaceutical products.”

Councillors on the committee gave it unanimous backing.

Cllr Ann Lucas said: “Frankly, last year we went into the ins and outs of every single thing that could arise and as I understand everything was satisfactory and there was no complaints at all.”