The number of betting shops in Waltham Forest's town centres has increased by almost 40 per cent in eight years, according to the latest figures.

In 2005 there were 23 bookmakers in Bakers Arms, South Chingford, Highams Park, Leyton, Leytonstone, North Chingford, Wood Street and Walthamstow town centre, but that number has since shot up to 32 - with the total number in the borough 59.

And Cllr Marie Pye, Waltham Forest Council’s cabinet member for Town Centres, has blamed the proliferation of betting shops for a rise in crime and antisocial behaviour, and said the look of the borough’s high streets is suffering as a result.

Some areas have been particularly affected by the influx of betting shops.

Around the Bakers Arms in Leyton there are six betting shops within a 250m radius of the junction of Lea Bridge Road and Leyton High Road, including the Paddy Power shop which stands on the site of the former Bakers Arms pub.

Speaking of a report written into crime around the Bakers Arms area after the opening of the Paddy Power branch, Cllr Pye said: “The police detailed 18 serious incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour in the previous six-month period that had given rise to incidents of drugs possession, weapon possession, theft, violence and robbery.

“This is just one bookmakers and just one six month period of reported crimes.”

She claimed betting shops are only allowed a certain number of gambling machines per shop, so they are keen to have a lot of small premises, each with the maximum number of machines.

Legally there is only allowed to be four fixed odds betting terminals in each betting shop.

She added that the over-proliferation of betting shops and the negative effects associated are issues that Waltham Forest Council is working hard to combat.

Christopher Malpas, 34, of Erskine Road, Walthamstow, a resident who spoke publicly about the issue last week, said: “If numbers are increasing clearly they’re not working hard enough to control them.

“Maybe the council should put some kind of incentive scheme in place for other shops to open in Walthamstow instead of betting shops.”

In 2005 the law around where bookmakers can be located was relaxed.

The figures are accurate up to the end of 2011.

A Paddy Power spokesperson said: "Like many retailers, we are sometimes the victims, not the cause of crime.

"We feel we contribute to the local communities that we’re a part of."