CONCERNS have been raised about plans to open another betting shop in Walthamstow High Street amid fears it will encourage anti-social behaviour.

Gambling firm Bet Fred wants to establish a branch at number 128 – bringing the total of bookmakers in the immediate area to nine.

It comes just weeks after the firm had an application to open a shop near the Bakers Arms in Leyton High Road rejected by the council following similar concerns.

Reports of numerous offences associated with bookies, including sexual assault, criminal damage, rowdy behaviour and robbery, featured in a report submitted by police against the application.

Licensing officer PC Donna Willcox also told the meeting the force did not have enough resources to tackle issues relating to betting shops.

Liberal Democrat ward Cllr Mahmood Hussain said many households in the area were worried about the plans.

He said: “Residents regularly complain to me about the number of these shops on our High Street and the anti-social behaviour that surrounds them.

“We need to be building up our High Street and market area, with new butchers and bakers, not dragging it down with new bookies and bargain booze shops.”

He added: “I will be writing to the chief executive of Bet Fred to ask them to reconsider this application and will be talking to the council about what we can do to stop this going ahead.”

In July the full council passed a motion calling for restrictions on the spread of betting shops, but the Lib Dems and Labour rowed over the issue, both accusing each other's party of failing to act at the national level.

A Bet Fred spokesman said: “We’ve made an application and we are waiting on the outcome.”

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Facebook