Porn is no longer on the menu at coffee shops and supermarkets across Chester as the city tries to safeguard children from hardcore and pornographic images.

Last year Chester Cathedral shut down its Wi-Fi after a Chronicle investigation revealed anyone could view hardcore porn while sitting in its cafe.

During the investigation we found shops, restaurants and cafes with free Wi-Fi were unwittingly allowing shoppers and passers-by to access  a free streaming website containing thousands of explicit videos and images of hardcore porn. 

Chronicle reporter Rachel Flint in Chester Cathedral where she was able to access X-rated material
Chronicle reporter Rachel Flint could access X-rated material in Cathedral last year

But now the Cathedral has joined a growing list of shops, restaurants and cafes in the city to have their Wi-Fi connections declared child 'friendly', after making changes to block unsuitable sites.

The Cathedral joins at least four other city businesses to be granted the 'Friendly Wi-Fi' label under the world's first accreditation scheme for public hotspots - which was created in Chester.

It joins Tesco, Starbucks UK, Samsung and Cinderbox, but other businesses have been accredited nationwide.

The accreditation, which can be displayed by the business, means that the Wi-Fi "meets a minimum level of filtering" to block access to pornographic and child abuse websites.

It was sparked by Prime Minister David Cameron's call for an industry-recognised develop an industry-recognised and trusted symbol, so that customers can see that the public Wi-Fi in a business is properly filtered.

Chester based company, The Registered Digital Institute (RDI), who developed and launched the scheme said they hoped the city would become the first fully "Friendly Wi-Fi" city.

RDI director Mike Davies said: "It would be great if Chester could become the first 'Friendly Wi-Fi' city.

"Chester Cathedral came to us. We identified the service they are using meets our standards.

"By now you will be able to walk into the Cathedral and not be able to access what you could before."

Inside Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral is now Wi-Fi friendly

The company, which was set up in 2005 to create a database of safe digital TV installers for the Digital Switchover, worked in collaboration with The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), the Government and the Uks main service providers to develop the scheme.

Chester MP Stephen Mosely said: “I couldn’t be prouder that it is a Chester company that is leading the way in keeping our children safe online."

Simon Warburton, Director of Operations at Chester Cathedral, said: "We are pleased and proud to be part of the Friendly Wi-Fi scheme. We support the filtering of public Wi-Fi and are delighted to be able to offer a safe internet experience for visitors to our building and our Refectory Cafe.

"Our involvement in the scheme is entirely in keeping with our ethos of welcome and hospitality and the core purposes of the work we do as an organisation. We hope it will help young people and families with young children to feel safer when using our public internet service.”

The announcement comes just days after The Private Shop on Brook Street was given permission to start trading on a Sunday, and the council review the licencing conditions of The Platinum Lounge.

Read about last year's investigation into public Wi-Fi access here.