Some retailers bracing for further far-right violence have decided to shut stores early following a meeting with representatives from the government and the police.
Retail Week understands that the consortium held an emergency community meeting yesterday with 190 of its members as well as members of the Home Office, the Department for Business and Trade and the police.
The meeting was attended by a wide range of members, from smaller independents to larger retailers.
A source with an understanding of the situation said that retailers discussed what actions to take in individual circumstances and that local store managers are being encouraged to make “the right decisions for their locations”.
These actions include closing stores early and putting measures in place to ensure the safety of staff as they return to their homes.
The news comes amid ongoing disorder across the UK, with incidents taking place in locations including Bristol, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Blackpool, Hull, Belfast, Liverpool, Rotherham and Sunderland.
Several high street retail stores have been targeted in the violence, including Shoe Zone, Greggs, Lush and Specsavers in Hull, as well as a Sainsbury’s Local store in Manchester over the weekend.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said that staff are “fearing for their safety following looting and vandalism in shops across the country” and that the charity had seen a hike in calls to its 24-hour retail staff helpline.
Lush said earlier this week that its staff were “devastated” and “heartbroken” as a result of one of the attacks on its stores.
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