YOUNG yobs should be named and shamed to keep better their behaviour.Hadleigh shopkeeper Steve Ellis thinks his blackboard blacklist should be spread to other shops in the market town.

YOUNG yobs should be named and shamed to keep better their behaviour.

Hadleigh shopkeeper Steve Ellis thinks his blackboard blacklist should be spread to other shops in the market town.

Since taking over an off licence in the High Street a year ago, Mr Ellis has managed to kerb the problem of youths hanging around outside and stealing from his shop.

His name and shame blackboard has stood as the "ultimate weapon" in the window of his business.

It has proved such an effective deterrent that it has never been used.

The security measures began almost as soon as Mr Ellis and his family moved into the Beer Barrel and changed the name to Mixers.

Mr Ellis said: "We installed CCTV cameras this time last year and then put up notices and the blackboard.

"The youngsters intimidate other customers, putting them off wanting to come in."

Mr Ellis said any youngsters loitering were barred from the store.

And he operates an effective curfew policy to reduce the night time problems that plague shops around the area.

And he praised local bobbies for their active response in policing the area.

He said: "If the youths hang around outside then we ban them from the shop for a week.

"We close the doors on Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm and won't let under-18s in unless they are with an adult.

"We have an effective partnership with the police who will assist when large groups gather outside, or when we want someone ejected.

"There are more police around at the weekends now and they are happy for us to ring them and can act quickly."

Mr Ellis called his measures a recipe for success and thought that other shops might do well to copy his ideas.