War on the curry 'touts' heats up

A clampdown is being launched on curry touts in Brick Lane who lure customers into restaurants with offers of cut-price meals.

The touts, who work on commission from the restaurants - usually £1 a customer - drum up trade by offering deals such as 25 per cent off the price of a meal. But by the time the bill arrives the " discount" has often disappeared.

Tower Hamlets council trading standards has written to local restaurateurs warning them they are responsible for the activities of their touts and risk prosecution if they transgress. The council eventually plans to outlaw touting.

"Stop using touts," said trading standards leader John McCrohan. "They are giving the excellent restaurant trade in Brick Lane a bad name."

Mr McCrohan said undercover officers had filmed themselves being targeted. "I am satisfied there was evidence to prosecute," he added.

There have also been complaints that some touts have criminal convictions and drug habits, and are responsible for physical and verbal abuse.

Restaurant owner Azmal Mert said: "Many of these deals are a rip-off. They get a group of people, offer them a discount, and then when they are drunk, they do not realise that they have been charged for an extra curry or a few poppadums or some drinks."

Syed Nahas Pasha, advisory editor of the industry magazine Curry Life, said: " Everyone is saying, 'I will stop if you do'. Then there is a pause, and it all starts again. It shames us all."