Press Association
Monday April 10, 2006 6:58 PM
City councillors are considering banning hoodies in designated areas of Birmingham, it has emerged.
Conservative councillors listed the suggestion, which could see hooded tops banned in shopping centres and entertainment areas across the city, in its local election manifesto.
The ban, if imposed, would be the first of its kind in a British city and would be designed to crack down on anti-social behaviour.
Tory councillor Tim Huxtable said: "We put a bullet point in the community safety part of our manifesto which said: 'We will examine the feasibility of banning hoodies in shopping areas to create a safer and more friendly environment'.
"It follows on from what they did at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent where they banned hoodies.
"As well as making people who visited Bluewater feel a lot safer, I believe that it meant that more people flocked to the mall.
"I think the number of visitors went up by 23% the weekend after they banned hoodies."
Cllr Huxtable said he envisaged bans being sought in a similar way to alcohol-restricted zones.
He said: "If there is a problem in a designated area, then either the police or community groups with police support could come to us and say: 'We would like you to impose powers to prevent people wearing hoodies in this designated area'.
"I would like to see the council empower police and local residents or managers of shopping centres to enforce such a ban. The approach has to be proportionate to the problem because it has to be enforced."
