Between the fields, passing lanes and roundabouts of the A1 is another spectacle that tends to grab the attention of unintended motorists across the country.

On Britain’s oldest and longest street, along the side, are shops selling unusual goods: sex shops.

Comedian Alan Carr was so surprised by the regular appearance of outlets as he drove along Highway A that he asked on Twitter, “Just saw a second trip to a sex shop – how horny are the drivers on the road? A1? “

From Yorkshire to Bedfordshire, shop windows caused everything from embarrassment to asking parents to explain the meaning of the bold signs, to curious children, to the bewilderment of those who watched. go from A to B as soon as possible.



View of the A1 of Great Britain

So why has this main road from London to Edinburgh become famous for its sex shops?

Why are there so many sex shops on the A1?



Sex shops have sprung up along the A1 over the past 15 years.

Anonymity, empty restaurant units and free advertising appear to be the main reasons for the rise in sex-linked retailing in A1.

Walking into a store that sells pornography, sex toys, and other pleasure items would seem like a daunting prospect for some customers.

So much so that they prefer to drive a few kilometers out of town to stroll in relative anonymity, surrounded only by fields and the hum of four lanes of traffic.

Graham Kidd, director of Pulse & Cocktails, which has several shops along the busy stretch, told the BBC that one of the reasons his company chose to open a shop along the A1 was that it offered shoppers a “discreet” experience. “. .

“You’re not likely to run into your neighbor on the inside,” he said.

This view appeared to be supported by online commentators, with a user of the social networking site Reddit by the name of Thomas Eichorst posting: “I would feel much more comfortable using an adult store on the A1 than at home.” small town.

“The chances of meeting a family member or someone from work would be slim.”

Where one company fails, another can succeed

Little Chef, the former motorway restaurant chain, was once a stopover for motorists and families looking to refuel on UK tours.

But the collapse of the restaurant in 2007 meant there were large empty properties along the road.



Little chef by the roadside

According to Kidd, the empty sites were ideal for transforming into “supermarkets” that could house enough shelves to stock up on weird and wonderful gadgets and costumes that might interest shoppers.

His company, Pulse, has transformed former small chefs of Grantham, Sawtry and Pontefract into sex shop heaven in just four years.

“The three we converted are great places for sex shops,” he told Vice.

“They are the perfect size which allows us to stock a large selection of toys, lingerie, bondage items, etc. They have ample parking and are in a great location.”

free advertising

Owners of units along the Great North Road say the idea of ​​being close to a main road has its appeal for a reason beyond anonymity – it’s also a source of free advertising, with tens of thousands of motorists use the route on a daily basis. .

Kidd told Vice: “People see us on their way to work or on vacation. Basically it is free advertising ”.

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