Criminals face being banned from shops, buses, pubs and taxis in Eastbourne under a new anti-crime network.

Information on known offenders will be circulated to firms across Eastbourne to familiarise them with troublemakers.

For a minimum £34 monthly subscription, traders can join the network set up by police, the borough council and the Town Centre Management Initiative.

It is being marketed as an upgrade of the Shopwatch scheme, which operates only in Eastbourne town centre.

Under the new scheme, extra support will be offered to firms, including the appointment of a business crime manager.

A radio link-up will be extended to all traders in Eastbourne. Sussex Police will share pictures of known offenders to all members.

Intelligence on criminal activity will be shared through incident reports from other members and police data.

In addition, members will join an exclusion notice scheme enabling them to ban offenders from all members' premises.

Training on conflict management and security advice will be given, while regular newsletters will be distributed.

Chief Inspector Martin Stevens, borough commander, said: "Eastbourne enjoys a more fortunate crime record than many other places in Sussex.

"However, it only takes one crime to affect one business, their staff and their families.

"Eastbourne is a community and if the community pulls together, we can minimise the opportunity for crime even further."

The new network will be overseen by an elected board with a written constitution and run by a steering group and board management.

Business people in Eastbourne are being urged to get involved in the project to drive the scheme forward.

Steering group chairman Bill Plumridge, manager of the Arndale Centre, said: "This is great news for all retailers and traders, whatever their size or location, across the whole town.

"It puts the right tools in the hands of the businesses to enable them to work together to ensure Eastbourne continues to be a thriving place."

More details about the network will be given at the International Lawn Tennis Centre in Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, on Wednesday, March 5, from 6pm.

Councillor Bert Leggett, Cabinet spokesman for community safety, said: "Businesses across the borough are being offered a great opportunity to help each other.

"By investing in this scheme, they will be investing in greater security for their business, their staff and their customers."