IT was perhaps not quite on the scale of routing the money- lenders from the temple, but a unique coalition of churches, community groups, and individuals yesterday stopped a three-day exhibition of ''erotica'' from taking place in Glasgow.

The Erotica Exhibition, featuring adult books and videos, lingerie, sex toys, and body piercing, was originally planned for the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in September.

Under the law, however, organiser Brian Wiseman of London had to apply for a temporary licence for a sex shop and, after media publicity, Glasgow City Council's licensing applications sub-committee received more than 4000 letters of objection.

The hearing was moved to Shettleston Burgh Halls yesterday to allow protesters to make their case, and more than 100 attended.

With 11 councillors staring down from the stage, Mr Wiseman's lawyer Robin Morton explained that because of the delay, the exhibition was being moved to December 11.

An incredulous councillor interjected that he was proud of the family atmosphere at the SECC, and that moving it nearer Christmas was even more offensive. The objectors applauded enthusiastically as the sound of councillors' minds shutting was almost audible.

Nor were the objectors easily dismissed as ageing, out-of-touch killjoys - although given that it was a daytime meeting, many present were retired. Cardinal Thomas Winning, of the Catholic Church, had shrewdly sent one of his advisers, former television presenter Ronnie Convery, whose youthful enthusiasm and presentational skills played well with the committee.

Glasgow, he said, had undergone a major transformation from No Mean City to the City of Culture. The last thing its renaissance needed was to be categorised as a ''city of sleaze''. The exhibition was not about freedom of choice, but merely about making money.

There were links, he declared, between pornography and violence against women, and the councillors had a duty to keep the streets safe for their ''sisters, mothers, and daughters''.

The sex industry, he said, had cost the lives of seven young women murdered in the city - and by a twist of fate, the body of one had been found in the grounds of the SECC.

Councillors shifted uneasily at the thought of having blood on their hands rather than simply deciding whether someone can buy a French maid's outfit.

Each speaker was applauded enthusiastically as the protesters sensed they were finally backing the winning team after years of watching the country go to the dogs.

Nor were all objectors religious. Isobel Wilkie, of Women's Aid, explained that they helped 4000 women a year who were victims of violence, many of whom suffered sexual violence acted out by partners from what they had learned in pornographic material.

Solicitor Robin Morton protested that what would be sold was not pornography, and was merely a ''fun day out for the enlightened''.

He described many of those who would attend as young couples in the ABC1 social category who read not top-shelf magazines, but middle-shelf magazines such as FHM, Loaded, GQ, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire.

Mr Morton even tried a joke when he pointed out that although there was a Status Quo concert on at the same time, the Status Quo fans probably had the same average age as the people at Shettleston Burgh Halls.

Grey heads bobbed behind him, not quite sure if he was being insulting. The exhibition, he said, would be no more a sex shop than the Burrell Gallery was a pub because it had a public house licence.

He said it would be as catastrophic to curtail people's freedom as it was when the Nazis burned books - a remark that not unnaturally failed to win over the now restless protesters.

A baleful committee chairman, Mr John Moynes, said they would only need 10 or 15 minutes to make their minds up, but one knew he was being overly generous.

On his return, one could have heard a suspender snap with the tension as he finally declared: ''I move the application be refused.''

Promoter Wiseman quietly slipped away, saying he would await the written reasons before deciding whether to mount a challenge. But, as far as the protesters were concerned, he was leaving with his serpent's tail between his legs.

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