Enfield Borough Council has defended its ownership of assets - including 17 farms and 206 shops

The local authority currently owns the third highest number of shops out of all 399 authorities in the UK and the most farms in London, according to figures by the Taxpayers’ Alliance.

As well as farms, the council also owns four golf courses across the borough and is one of nine authorities in the capital to own shopping centres, of which it has two.

The council also owns 33 car parks and three pubs, according to the figures.

Taxpayers Alliance chief executive Jonathan Isaby slammed councils' spending.

He said: "Councils should be councils, not property investment managers. Not only is there risk to taxpayers if the investments go belly up, but it distracts from essential services.

“When councils are talking in apocalyptic terms about the financial challenges they face, it's only right that we interrogate all of these assets and sell those not crucial to council services back into the private sector where they belong."

An Enfield council spokeswoman defended the actions of the council, describing it as “entrepreneurial”.

She said: “At a time when every penny counts and local authorities are being asked to raise their own revenue as a source of funding, we believe that having such a wide stock of income generating assets is to be applauded.

“Enfield is an entrepreneurial council, which was officially recognised when it was commended at the recent LGC awards. The authority is both pro-business and investment, and as such its ownership of shops, let at an affordable rent to local businesses, is great news for Enfield’s economy.

“We are also proud of our farming heritage. This is shown through support for the local growing and selling of produce to offset the carbon footprint of goods grown elsewhere, as demonstrated by our Garden Enfield scheme.”

Other unusual ownership included Bristol City Council and Harlow District Council. Both own nightclubs, while Dumfries and Galloway Council owns a cheese factor.