FOUR Brick Lane curry houses have been banned from selling alcohol for up to three months as punishment for touting.

Tower Hamlets Council promised to take action after East Enders living in the area complained they were being constantly stopped by nuisance touts on the famous ‘Curry Mile’.

At a council meeting earlier this month, one man said he had been accosted 11 times in one day on his way home.

Byelaws were brought in three years ago to make the trade illegal but many have complained the touts were getting off with light fines and continuing to target passersby.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman vowed to stop touts “spoiling” Brick Lane and attacked them for “hassling and intimidating visitors”.

The four restaurants recently found to be breaking the rules have had their licences suspended for between two weeks and three months.

They also can’t open for extended hours.

The worst offender was Cinnamon restaurant which will not get its full trading licence back until May 5.

Nazrul restaurant has been handed a one month suspension, Preem and Prithi restaurant has two weeks and Mango restaurant cannot trade fully for one week.

All of them have also been banned from touting for business.

A further five eateries also received touting bans.

Owners could be fined up to �20,000 or get six months in prison if they disobey the orders.

Restaurants were originally encouraged to sign up to the ban voluntarily but this has proved unworkable in some cases.