NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Citizens and visitors to North Andover, MA can be legally married to their same-sex partners, but they’ll have to drive around a bit if they want to buy a vibrator, bottle of cherry flavored lube or other marital aid, thanks to a recent decision by Middleton voters. According to the North Andover Citizen, fewer than 10 votes stood between maintaining the status quo or handing a thoroughly undesirable area near the town line over to the presumably even more undesirable adult entertainment industry for development.

Alas for those who like a little sexy with their sex, the status quo won.

Middleton Town Meeting voters would have needed to have directed two-thirds of their votes in favor of allowing the area to be developed by adult businesses. Instead, they voted 93 to 59 against article 30 of the Middleton Town Meeting warrant.

North Andover Citizen reports that currently there are a multitude of vacant shops scattered along Route 114, which remains available for strip club, adult bookstore or pretty much any other form of development.