THREE businesses have been shutdown after a "deluge of complaints" about anti-social behviour and drugs.

Police served a closure notice on The Honeypot restaurant , Super Cuts off-licence and Gold Crest plumbers in Upper Brockley Road this week following a string of allegations from people living nearby.

The area has been the scene of several police raids and two chaotic unlicensed street parties in the past year - one for the Jubilee and another for the royal wedding which ended in gunshots being fired and Super Cuts having its licence withdrawn.

Police Sergeant Jon Biddle from Brockley Safer Neighbourhoods Team said: "We have acted following a deluge of complaints from the community over the high levels of anti social behaviour, in particular drug taking and dealing.

"The closure notice came about after collating many months worth of evidence. Whilst the prospect of closure for any business is a blow to the local economy, the law is there for a reason and we have acted following concerns raised."  

Ward councillor Cllr Darren Johnson said: "There've been persistent complaints over the years about the problems that these three businesses cause.

"I'm not at all surprised police have taken action and certainly residents have been demanding it."

Responding to suggestions on the Twitter website by Councillor Duwayne Brooks that the complaints may have a racial connotation, he said: "It's always been easy to characterise this as racially motivated.

"But the complaints I've had from residents have come form people black and white, old and young.

"It's affected residents in all their diversity."

Officers applied for a three-month closure order on July 18 at Bromley Magistrates' Court.

A further hearing has been scheduled for August 1, before which the businesses must remain closed. They were given 14 days to appeal.