1982. Clone Zone
Clone Zone began life as a series of regular market stalls in gay venues in London, Manchester and Blackpool.
Right from the outset it stocked a range of goods of interest to the gay community. These included sex toys, club wear, fetish wear, books, magazines and Hi-Energy records. Such was the success of this early enterprise it’s founders – Mike McCann and David Edwards – had opened stores in London and Manchester in 1982 to house the ever-growing range of items.
As the name suggests, Clone Zone catered largely for a gay male clientele and continues to do so today. Unsurprisingly, as one of the UK’s first upfront gay stores, the store received more than its fair share of police attention. In the early 80’s, for example, the Manchester store was raided by that city’s notoriously homophobic police force for selling gay porn.
But, unwanted attention from police and other homophobes notwithstanding, Clone Zone endured and grew in strength and visibility along with the rest of the community. So much so that it featured prominently in a television documentary on gay Manchester, broadcast nationally in 1988. The following extract would have left viewers in no doubt as to what was on offer.
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