A SEX shop has won a Diamond Jubilee contest prize for having Bournemouth’s best window display.

The Easy Tiger store in The Triangle was crowned as winner for its red, white and blue display with slogans including “polish your crown jewels” and “keep calm, keep it up”.

The win was down to a public vote but some shoppers are shocked.

Richard Marshall, from Vicarage Road, Bournemouth, said: “I am disgusted that a sex shop in Bournemouth’s Triangle has been handed the prestigious best window display award in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee,” he said.

“I don’t understand how a picture of a man lifting his T-shirt up to show his pants can be described as tasteful or respectful to her majesty.

“My wife and I have been married for 50 years and have never been into one of these shops and we disagree with them.”

The shop caused outrage when it was one of two adult stores granted licences to open in 2009.

Cllr Bob Chapman then appealed to the committee saying the shops would be “flying in the face of everything this council is trying to do”.

Easy Tiger was presented with the Best Independent Jubilee Window Display by the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce at the Hotel Miramar.

The chamber’s vice-president Mandy Payne said it made everyone smile when the winner was announced.

Their 87 votes were 40 higher than their closest rival.

Jonathan Spencer, owner of Easy Tiger, said he has had people walk past the shop and say “disgraceful” but said it is unfair as they sell legal products.

He said: “We have shoppers from 18 to 80 odd and try to offer products to all generations. By making our windows cheeky and humorous, we hope to challenge the traditional perception of a blacked-out, seedy sex shop.”

The store worked with designers from The Beep Studio in Bournemouth on the window display. Jo Armitage, partner of The Beep Studio, said Mr Spencer “takes great pride in his shop’s appearance”.

“It was important for us to focus on the Brits’ love for a Benny Hill style sexiness and our jubilee window is suggestive and cheeky,” she said.

Nigel Hedges, president of the Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said he understood people being surprised but said he was “pleasantly surprised”.

“If a little glass trophy helps put attention on the Triangle then that’s great,” he added.

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