Street hawkers selling 'magic' stones, henna tattoos and hair braiding will have to go elsewhere.

They are fast becoming as large a part of Brighton seafront as traditional candy floss or fish and chips, ut now the council and police are promising a summer crackdown and say they will not even give unlicensed traders a chance to lay down their blankets before moving them on. Faced with the opposition, long-time hawkers Mark Kivlin and Albert Cook have decided to go legit.

The pair opened what they believe is the first henna tattoo shop in town on the Palace Pier at the weekend. They hope to make a living from leaving their mark, literally, on tourists at their kiosk, called Henna Boy.

Mark, 28, and Albert, 26, were doing henna tattoos on the seafront years before they said the area was flooded with hawkers from as far away as London. Albert said: "About four or five years ago there were just three of us down there doing henna and nobody seemed to mind us. We all worked together, didn't try to steal customers from each other and lent each other designs."

Albert and Mark jumped at the chance to open a shop because they believe the seafront has become a rat-race, with tattooists stealing designs and carrying out sub-standard work. Albert said: "The police said they were going to get rid of the traders this summer and we had a chance of making a regular amount of money so we took it."

Licensed traders on the seafront have long complained the hawkers are putting them out of business.

Mark said: "The businesses down there keep having their rents put up and it's understandable they are upset, because it's their livelihood. Especially when things are being sold that are in direct competition to them."