A SEX shop owner ordered to cover up his windows has received unlikely support from residents – who said his saucy displays "cheered up" the dreary neighbourhood.

Jonathan Spencer says council bosses have "demonised" him by forcing him to black out the front of his Erotica Belle store – while a rival Ann Summers half a mile away is allowed to keep its sexy displays.

Now locals have rallied round Mr Spencer, saying his cheeky window displays – featuring sex toys and raunchy outfits – were "the best in town".

One resident of Salisbury, Wilts, posted online: "Maybe the council should try to fix the parking, policing or graffiti before they start trying to force more shops out of business."

Another said: "That sex shop has consistently been producing lovely seasonal window displays for the past three years, and I would go as far as saying the best dressed shop in the town.

"They have always been really good at being tastefully provocative.

"Well I want to complain about the complainants trying to bring everyone down into their grey view of the world and stop this bloke making a living."

Another said: “We are going to be a ghost town if all the proud and hardworking business leave if they are not protected. I live here and want our city to be lively.”

Others called for Ann Summers to be subjected to the same rules at its store in a shopping centre in the city centre.

Jonathan, who also runs sex shops in Andover and Weymouth, faced complaints when he took over the Salisbury store and modernised it three years ago.

But Wiltshire council gave him a licence and allowed to have a window display at the shop, which also boasts a “discreet rear entrance”.

Typical displays at Erotica Belle have included suggestive posters and phrases such as "Keep calm and keep it up" as well as sex toys and lingerie.

One display was based on a seaside theme, with “ahoy sexy” and “hello sailor” stickers in the window.

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Now following further complaints the council has ordered Mr Spencer to cover up, claiming he was only allowed a display thanks to an "administrative error".

He has spent £1,800 erecting black blinds with "licensed sex shop" written in large white letters.

Underneath it reads: "The owners would like to apologise for the shop looking like an 80s sleazy sex joint but the council has forced us to black out our windows. We would like a pretty window like our other shops."

As the row escalated, Mr Spencer added the hashtag #sexynotsleazy on the shop's Twitter profile to promote the cause.

He said local traders were in shock at the blackout order and he has been inundated with people calling and coming into the store saying his displays had "cheered up a very dreary end of Fisherton Street".

Mr Spencer said: “My shops operate within the law.

"We seem to be demonised by the council and looked down upon like we are some illegitimate business. They are restricting my human right to earn an honest living.”

Matthew Dean, a city councillor for the area, said he had passed on a complaint from a resident to Wiltshire Council about the suitability of the display, but had not requested a blackout.

Having seen the new window, he said he was “very disappointed” with the outcome and urged the council and Mr Spencer to work together to reach a compromise.

Richard Clewer, the Wiltshire county councillor for the area, also said that while some people may be embarrassed by the display, it was no worse than other shops in the city.

The shop was legal and he would rather a window display than a “seedy blacked out front”, he added.

Wiltshire Council said: “We deal with all issues regarding licensed premises in the same professional manner.

"It is important we are consistent and ensure all licensed premises adhere to their licence conditions.”

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