Residents 'gobsmacked' after rumours of new sex shop in Stapleford

Residents in a Nottinghamshire town have been left "gobsmacked" after rumours of a new sex shop opening started circulating on social media. The business is said to move into the former Hyper store at 26-28 Derby Road, Stapleford.

The news comes as the dual unit has been standing empty since the departure of Hyper, which was one of the town's oldest shops. Hyper had been trading in the town for decades, and the building historically provided the entry way to Stapleford Hall before it was demolished in 1935.

But now rumours circulating in Facebook community groups have paved the way to a divided discussion about whether a sex shop is the right fit for the premises. A post on Stapleford Community Group claims the new shop will open before Christmas.

However, no specific dates were given, nor the name of the shop. According to the post, the shop has undergone "an extensive transformation, with months of renovation and modernisation breathing new life into the site".

The post reads: "Now, as the festive season approaches, the community will see the space once occupied by HYPER reimagined for a new venture. Set to open before Christmas, the refurbished premises will soon welcome a unique business to Derby Road—a specialist adult store.

"The adult store promises to offer a wide range of products, catering to adults of all ages and tastes. With an impressive array of adult toys and accessories, customers can expect to find items that range from the lighthearted to the luxurious.

"Additionally, the store will carry a curated selection of imported magazines, providing customers with hard-to-find publications from around the world." The post added that the premises will provide a "discreet and welcoming" environment for customers.

Residents of the Broxtowe town were quick to react to the post, with some vehemently disagreeing with the plans, while others seemed to embrace the idea. Commenting under the post, Amanda Simpson said: "Absolutely gobsmacked, why on earth do we need a shop like this in Stapleford , of all the things to open."

Cat Dyer added: "I mean…. I’m momentarily lost for words… is this a joke? Of all the things Stapleford needs, this is not one of them." Erika Toth added: "That’s just what we need on top of all the other shops in the town centre."

The post, which was made on Tuesday, November 12, was deleted the next day. Nottinghamshire Live tried confirming the rumours, however, all attempts were unsuccessful.

Stapleford councillor, Richard MacRae, said he is not aware of the plans, while estate agents Robert Ellis explained that, although the company is aware of the rumours, it is unsure what the plans for the units are. The property was sold at auction on November 24, 2022, for £201,000.