Plans to open Spain s first bondage hotel inspired by the book Fifty Shades of Grey have been delayed following objections from locals.
The hotel, due to include 20 S M-themed rooms and a dungeon, was preparing to open last week in a village of 2,500 residents in Valencia, but was prevented from doing so after the mayor of quiet Vilafranca, complained.
Set to be called Roissy Castle, the hotel was the brainchild of a local businessman who said he wanted to capitalise on the bestseller s popularity, according to the Spanish expat newspaper The Local.
With the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon in full swing, I saw a business opportunity that hadn t been exploited yet in Spain, he told the newspaper.
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The bondage-themed accommodation was to be set in the existing L Om del Llosar Hotel, which the businessman who wishes to remain anonymous had reportedly rented out with a view to installing the latest equipment and launching the themed rooms last Friday.
It was hoped that the hotel would offer guests an opportunity to "enjoy their games, exhibit themselves and share experiences with other visitors."
But members of the town council have objected, saying the raunchy accommodation was located too close to the church, which honours the village s patron saint.
Oscar Tena, the mayor, has filed a petition to prevent the launch claiming that the owner does not have the license required to run it.
He told the news channel ABC: "We are very angry with this person for causing this scandal without saying anything to the proprietors of the hotel or the town hall.
'We don't want this in our village, because it is right next to our residential centre and our chapel; it is a very beloved place because we celebrate a lot of things there."
The Telegraph, London