The Council has recently received a planning application for a betting office at 857 Leyton High Road (formally part of Woolworths).

If this is granted there would be at least seven betting offices around the Bakers Arms area. Residents were angry that a betting office was recently allowed on the Bakers Arms pub site.

Under new regulations, councillors are now allowed to make objections to planning applications. So Liberal Democrat Councillor Bob Sullivan has made an official objection to this new betting office application.

His objections are:-

• There are already too many betting offices in the area. Leyton is not an affluent area and betting offices are there to make money.
• Gambling can be an addiction and more betting offices can only encourage this. This could increase crime in the area, as those who lose out may resort to crime to feed their addiction.
• Children and vulnerable adults will also be affected if one or both parents use family funds to pay for betting, so depriving them of a proper income from which to live.

Bob will keep you informed of the outcome.