A TOWN centre cafe has banned hooded youths as well as pupils from Sir William Ramsay School in a bid to stamp out antisocial behaviour.

Bosses at the Octagon and Chiltern centres last week told the Free Press there was no need for a "zero tolerance" approach towards youths.

However, that is not the opinion of business owners some of whom have taken matters into their own hands by banning "hoodies" and a whole school.

Andrew Powney, who owns Cafe Express in the Octagon, said behaviour had improved since moving in four years ago, but some groups still caused trouble.

He said: "We get all sorts here. When you ask youths to move on they say yeah, yeah' or they're abusive."

Small home-made signs greet shoppers at Cafe Express, one indicating hooded tops should be worn down, a second banning all pupils from Sir William Ramsay School because of bad behaviour.

Mr Powney added: "I banned three schools, but two of them responded very promptly, so I lifted the ban. It's down to the behaviour of the children some act like they own the place."

The Bluewater centre, in Kent, set a precedent last month by introducing a policy that banned all youths wearing hooded tops.

Ian Hodgkinson, of Colorama, added: "I don't like any of these gangs congregating in here, but in fairness you could say they don't actually harm anyone. I just don't think business owners like customers to feel intimidated."

Mohammed Aziz, of Octagon News, said: "It just means if something happens then their faces are not covered up which is useful for police."

Yet despite the obvious concerns of shoppers and business owners youngsters are not alone in criticising the draconian policy.

Saqib Deshmukh, a youth worker at Green Street Community Centre, said: "People have forgotten what it is like to be young."

Sir William Ramsay School was on half-term break this week and was unvailable for comment. Buckinghamshire County Council said it was unaware of the issue.