Trading Standards are worried about distraction burglary

The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has received a �50,000 grant to roll out the zones.

Modelled on neighbourhood watch, the areas show signs and stickers telling cold callers that they are not wanted.

Cold calling is used by rogue traders preying on the elderly or as part of a distraction burglary, the TSI said.

However, the Direct Selling Association (DSA) said the zones were an "attack" on legitimate small business.

In the absence of improvements in the law, this scheme helps communities to equip themselves to deter those unwelcome doorstep cold callers Ron Gainsford, TSI chief executive

TSI has been calling for doorstep selling to be outlawed.

The no cold calling zones have already been piloted in some parts of the UK.

In Cambridgeshire, a no cold calling zone led to an 11% fall in distraction burglaries.

The zones involve local residents and trading standards officers working in tandem. Unwanted sellers and traders are reported by homeowners to trading standards officers who can start court proceedings.

Deter crime

In June, the TSI said it would like to see the zones spread around the country.

"In the absence of improvements in the law, this scheme helps communities to equip themselves to deter those unwelcome doorstep cold callers," Ron Gainsford, chief executive of TSI, said.

The announcement of the extra no-go zones coincides with the start of National Consumer Week.

The idea of no cold calling zones is backed by some parts of big business.

"There is no such thing as a good time to be door-stepped by a sales person; it is inconvenient, intrusive and can be threatening to vulnerable individuals," Gavin Patterson, BT consumer managing director, said.

Mr Patterson added that BT - which donated the �50,000 grant for the scheme - had decided in June to stop all doorstep lending.

The initiative assumes all cold callers are potential criminals and fails to recognise legitimate traders Richard Berry, Direct Selling Association

Attack on business

In response to the TSI initiative, the Direct Selling Association said that no-go areas were a threat to consumer choice.

"This is an attack on a long established and genuine mode of business," Richard Berry, DSA director, said.

"Consumers don't want their shopping choices restricted to the big retailers and supermarkets - they want a wider offering with better customer service with free delivery to their homes.