PLANS to convert a former Little Chef restaurant into a sex shop will do nothing to help Hull's bid to become 2017 UK City of Culture, according to civic leaders.
Adult firm Cocktails Ltd has applied to East Riding Council for a sex establishment licence to transform the former eaterie on the westbound carriageway of the A63. But the plans have been met with scorn from civic leaders in Hull, as well as in nearby Brough.
Councillor Terry Geraghty, the city council's portfolio holder for culture, said: "We want to attract the right sort of thing to this area.
"We want to attract tourists and entrepreneurs as we go for 2017 UK City of Culture status.
"An adult store doesn't look good."
Under plans, the store would be open from 9am to 10pm on weekdays, with reduced weekend opening hours.
It would be closed only on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday.
Bryan Davis, chairman of Elloughton-cum-Brough Town Council, suggested the land could be put to better use.
He said: "What we've been calling for a long time for is a services.
"There's nothing virtually the whole way from Leeds."
Mr Davis believes a sex shop is not a "sensible" way to promote the area.
"It's not the sort of thing we or Hull would want to see, especially as they're going for City of Culture," he said.
The Little Chef has been closed for most of the past five years, said Mr Davis.
A resident in nearby Elloughton resident, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't know why they want to put a store there. I'd have thought it would be highly obvious why people have pulled up there.
"You could hardly claim you were visiting other stores – there's nothing else there.
"On the other hand, I suppose the shop would be out of the way for those who want nothing whatsoever to do with it."
Anyone wishing to object to the application has until the end of the month to submit a letter to East Riding Council.
The Mail was unable to contact Cocktails Ltd for comment.
