'Mosquito' takes over centre (From Witney Gazette)

'Mosquito' takes over centre

9:00am Wednesday 15th November 2006 in Witney By Rosalind Miles

ULTRA-SOUND mimicking the whine of a mosquito is to be used to stop youths from hanging around outside a West Oxfordshire shopping parade.

The noise will be emitted by a device nicknamed a Mosquito Unit at the town's Westgate Shopping Centre, in Chipping Norton, from early next week.

It will only be audible to those under 25, and is designed to be so annoying, that after five or ten minutes teenagers who congregate at the centre will prefer to leave.

The £800 system was paid for by West Oxfordshire District Council and the Midcounties Co-op, which has a shop at the centre, and is the first to go in operation in the county.

Co-op spokesman, Adrian Barradell, said: "We are aware that young people hanging about the entrance area to the shopping centre have, in the past, been offputting to our customers.

"We welcome the installation of the Mosquito Unit, and hope it will reassure people, especially those visiting the store in the dark winter evenings.

"We welcome the installation of the Mosquito Unit, and hope it will reassure people, especially those visiting the store in the dark winter evenings."

Co-op spokesman, Adrian Barradell

"The key thing about the Mosquito is that it can be activated as and when it is required, and it has been shown to be a useful tool in tacking antisocial behaviour."

The device has been welcomed by businesses in the Westgate.

Jackie Mason, manager of the Westgate department store, said: "If it works, then I'd definitely support it. Some weeks it can be a major problem, other weeks it's not so bad, it depends, but it is a regular problem. I think it can discourage customers from coming in, having to walk past a big group hanging around. Holidays and weekends are the worst. Anything that dispels them will be a good thing." The manager of Nash's Bakery, who did not wish to be named, said: "I think it's a good thing. They can be a bit of a pain."

It has received a mixed reception from townspeople.

Brendon Crawford, 16, of Cotswold Terrace, said: "I used to be a bit of a chav and hang round there. The only reason people do it is because they don't have anywhere else to go. The money should be spent on making the youth centre better,"

Kelly Houston, 17, of Pearce Drive, Chipping Norton, said: "I don't really mind, I don't get on with the people who hang around here anyway.

"On Friday and Saturday night, it's really bad around here, it's quite scary to walk past here, they shout things at you."

Susan Griffin, 56, of Bletchingdon, said: "The youths don't bother me. They don't do anyone any harm."

Shirley Yates, 70, said: "Some people probably find them intimidating. There is a lot of vandalism. It's a nice area, they shouldn't really be hanging around here."

PC Simon Towers, antisocial behaviour manager for West Oxfordshire community safety partnership, said: "This is the first time the system has been installed in West Oxfordshire.

"It has received great results elsewhere in the fight against antisocial behaviour, so we are hopeful it will have the desired effect in tackling one of Chipping Norton's top neighbourhood priorities."