Consultations have been carried out today and yesterday over whether a gate should be erected to stop public access to a crime-ridden back alley in London’s Docklands.

Drug dealers and prostitutes are said to be loitering in Five Bells Alley, off Three Colt Street in Limehouse.

A petition handed to Tower Hamlets Council claims it is “a hotspot for crime and rubbish dumping”.

Police and the Town Hall’s environment services have received complaints from households about anti-social activity in the cut-through passage between Blade Bone public house and the Limehouse Church Institute.

“The public alley has suffered criminal activity such as prostitution and drug dealing,” a Town Hall spokesman confirmed. “It is also being used as a toilet and large items of waste are being dumped.”

A two-day preliminary consultation has been taking place to find out whether householders want a gate.

A proposed order for a gate would block access to the public—but there is already support for it, claimed the council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Ohid Ahmed. He said: “The residents have indicated they want a Gating Order and we hope to get a good response to the consultation.”

Powers came into force in 2006 under the 1980 Highways Act to allow local authorities to have Gating Orders to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.