Marchant's comments were true as one could see young, middle aged men and women and even elderly people purchasing adult toys without any inhibitions.

A customer in her late 70s, who looks younger than her age, said, 'I lost my husband four years ago after four decades of married life, but thanks to these aides am still enjoying my libido.'

Hewson Group recently did a street survey to understand what female shoppers really want in terms of 'erotic goods'.

'The reasons are, as you would expect, complex. Excitement and enhancement in sex would be simple answers,' said Judy Pearce, research director of the Hewson Group.

Pearce projects the sale of adult toys in UK market at worth well over one billion pounds by 2014.

Marchant has been working at Harmony for the last two years and believes that it's people with money and steady jobs who buy adult toys.

It's interesting to know that the National Health Service (NHS), the public funded healthcare system in Britain, has been recommending such toys to women with difficulty in reaching orgasm since the beginning of this decade. However, NHS warns that sexually transmitted diseases can be transmitted if such toys are shared and not properly cleaned after use.

Harmony has come a long way since it started its venture in Oxford Street five years ago and today they have more branches. Window displays are strictly restricted to lingerie and you can't see mannequins with adult toys.

According to Denyer, 'The online business is also good, but are looking ways of optimising it. Customers prefer to visit the shop as they get to meet the Sh! Girlz (saleswomen), drink cups of tea as they browse, squeeze or touch the goodies.'

Walking around an adult toy shop, with a steaming cup of tea is bound to warm your senses anyway.

(Cynthia Chandran can be contacted on cynthiachandran@gmail.com)