LICENSING bosses have been accused of double standards after they rejected plans for a sex shop, but then agreed to extend the opening times for a lap dancing club in the same street.

Watford Council's licensing committee threw out the controversial application by multi-million pound adult entertainment group ABS Holdings for a sex shop in Market Street.

It rejected the proposal on the grounds the proposed location was inappropriate. But less than an hour later the committee voted to allow the Ol Bier Grill to hold lap dancing until 2am on a Saturday night at the other end of the road.

Privately, some councillors branded the decision "contradictory and hypocritical".

One said: "Lap dancing is degrading and demeaning to women. It's just as bad as a sex shop, if not worse. It should have been turned down."

Another added: "As councillors, we're trying to create a family environment in the town, but this gives out totally the wrong impression. I feel very uneasy about the whole situation."

Chairman of the licensing committee Councillor Rabi Martins said there was no conflict between the two decisions.

"The sex shop would have been in entirely the wrong location in a residential area," he said.

"The lap dancing club already has a licence for three nights a week and is something that we've had very few complaints about."