Some shop owners in West Auckland say they are fed up with beggars urinating and defecating on their stores and have placed a ban on begging in the area.

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The chairman of the Avondale Business Association, Duncan MacDonald, said problems with beggars had grown worse over the years and some were becoming aggressive and demanding towards shop owners.

Mr MacDonald said many of the beggars who came to Avondale town centre were not genuinely in need and arrived in private cars or taxis.

He said there was a lot of support from the community for the ban.

"We're not going to stand for people to be outside my shop, sprawled all over and leaning on my window, defecating and urinating where ever they can, and just get away with it.

"Us shopkeepers have a right too, we're paying rates, we're trying to do business and look after ourselves and serve our community."

Mr MacDonald said under the Street Trading Act, shop owners can ban beggars if they are within one metre of their store front.