Footfall on UK high streets fell by an average 4.8 per cent between August 11 (Sunday) and 14 (Wednesday) from the same period the week before, according to MRI Software. This compares with a smaller fall of 2.7 per cent in all UK retail destinations, including shopping centres and out-of-town retail parks.

On August 14, the number of people on high streets dropped by 7.5 per cent as shoppers were deterred by a scheduled new phase of rioting and counter-protests.

The impact is the most in Northern England and Yorkshire, with footfall down by 12.9 per cent between August 11 and 14, and in the West Midlands, where footfall was down by 10.6 per cent on the previous week, according to domestic media reports.

In a meeting yesterday, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) discussed the safety of shop staff. Retailers are monitoring the situation in different locations and may close some shops early.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson called for the ‘full force of the law’ to be brought to bear on those committing criminal damage and theft against retailers.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) also said it was doing its best to help worried small firms.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)