Officials at the Homeless Outreach Project, which operates out of Grindlay Street Court, said that beggars in the city could end up being "more aggressive" if the new scheme were to be implemented.

And they added that the problem of homelessness needed to be tackled head-on rather than being "brushed off the street".

Steve Amos, the Homeless Outreach Project's team leader, said: "If this initiative goes ahead,they (beggars] will have to revert to other forms of begging, for example 'hand tapping' or begging on the move, stopping people with general requests for money or saying they need bus fares.

"Addicted street beggars also fear that because of this initiative they may have to revert to more aggressive means of obtaining money through various forms of theft and robbery.

"Drug and alcohol clients need money and will continue to get it, one way or another, until they receive effective interventions, treatment and support or die.

"Addiction, and poverty in the case of Eastern Europeans, is the true root of the problem and needs treatment."

The initiative, which has been drawn up by the city's Begging Education Support Team (Best), was revealed in the Evening News last month.

A strategy on ways to tackle begging in the city centre will be produced by Best later this month.

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