PLANS for a sex shop at the former Little Chef premises on the East Lancashire Road have been refused by St Helens Council's licensing and environmental protction committee.

In a hearing which lasted almost two and a half hours at the town hall, the application for the premises which was submitted by Cocktails Ltd was refused by a majority vote.

Committee chirman Cllr Charles Banks said: "It has been decided that the application be refused by a majority vote on the grounds that a number of sex establishments of that particular kind is equal to the number the authority considers appropriate for that locality.

"The grounds would be inpproprite with regard to the relevant locality and the use to which the premises are put."