Classic sounds beat the yobs

Oct 31 2007 By Paul Bradley, Birmingham Mail

GANGS of troublesome teenagers finally met their match at a Midland foodstore - after staff bombarded them with Vivaldi, Chopin and Tchaikovsky.

Check-out workers and store managers at the Alvechurch Co-op became so fed up with youngsters hanging around the front doors they turned to the composers.

In an innovative new move they called on the help of the great music makers instead of local police officers.

Manager Graham Dargue, said: "We have had groups of youths hanging about outside the store in the evening and at weekends.

"They weren't causing trouble but some customers were getting intimidated by them.

"We played the classical music over the tannoys and it has certainly proved effective in moving them on.

"I don't think it was quite their thing and they told me that the music was rubbish.

"Other customers think it is a great idea and their has been a lot of interest and questions about why we have been playing classical music."

As gangs of youths gathered outside in growing numbers, staff inside the store, near Birmingham, found they had a new power at their fingertips.

A flick of a switch saw Mozart's symphonies bellowing out and within minutes the gangs were quickly dispersing.

And even die-hard youngsters, with iPods to shield their ears, were driven away as staff adjusted the volume from melodic Mozart to boisterous Beethoven.

Jayne Phillips, asset and profit protection area manager for The Co-operative, said: "Playing the music makes our shops less cool as places for youngsters to hang out, and can make life much easier for our customers and staff."