Urinating mannequin banned from shop window after complaint

A shop owner’s light-hearted way of advertising his new year’s sale has caused something of a stir with city centre shoppers. But Philip Browne got more than he bargained for when a complaint about his shop window display led to a call from the police.



The Philip Browne menswear shop, in Guildhall Hill, Norwich, features a wooden mannequin posed as a man urinating on a wall and spelling out the word ‘sale’. The scene is completed with empty champagne bottles, party poppers and discarded clothes to depict the aftermath of a night out. Mr Browne says the display has amused shoppers young and old, but now he has been advised by police to remove the mannequin after a complaint was made.



Mr Browne said: “It has been there 10-12 days; it’s just Great Yarmouth-style saucy, end-of-the-pier seaside humour. Everyone has been laughing about it.” However, police were contacted by someone who was offended and the shop has now been warned it could be in violation of the 1986 Public Order Act, and advised he remove the mannequin.



“I think is unfair,” said Mr Browne. “We’ve had kids and families, laughing at it. We’ve had old ladies in their 70s laughing. In a gallery it is not offensive, but in public you can be prosecuted. It only takes one person.” However, Mr Browne added: “We will change the display and apologise to whoever it is; we did not set out to offend anybody.”