DRUNKS and drug addicts are turning customers away from a busy shopping street.

Mark Burnard has been running a barber shop in the London Road area of Brighton for more than 20 years but now he is thinking of selling up.

He tried to move on a group of drinkers causing trouble in the street and the next day found his windows smashed.

He said: "I'm losing customers because they are frightened of coming down here. Mums are scared to bring their children here for haircuts because they get accosted by aggressive drunks and druggies in the street."

Mr Burnard, 43, who runs Masters in York Place, said drug dealing was rife: "This is a lovely city and we have cleaned-up St James's Street but this area is suffering now.

"It's more like Beirut here nowadays. Something has got to be done."

Police are meeting with environment health officials from Brighton and Hove City Council today to discuss the problem.

One councillor is writing to all outlets selling alcohol in the area, asking them to take high-strength booze off the shelves.

Keith Taylor, Green councillor for St Peters and North Laine, said: "I have received an increased number of complaints from constituents about street drinkers in London Road, York Place and The Level.

"There are moves to extend the street-drinking ban across the whole of Brighton and Hove following the trial in the St James's Street area. If this is introduced, it will not take effect until later in the summer, although I am not personally convinced this will effectively address all the issues around street drinking."

Mr Taylor said limiting the supply of high-strength, low-priced alcohol could have an immediate impact.

He said: "This move would be welcomed by Sussex Police.

"Whilst I would obviously not want to see traders' profits suffer, I am sure they would appreciate that business is part of the local community and that the continued anti-social behaviour of some street drinkers ultimately discourages shoppers to visit the district."

Mr Taylor said police had been concentrating their efforts to clean up the Norfolk Square area of Brighton but it was now time to turn their attention to London Road.

Chief Inspector Lisa Pearcey said she was meeting with environmental health chiefs to discuss the council putting drink enforcement "hit squads" into the area.

Crime prevention officers would be meeting with Mr Burnard to discuss better protection for his shop and more police patrols were planned.

She said: "We are determined to clean up the whole London Road area."

Thursday June 26, 2003