Riot-hit shops lost more than 7,500 trading hours
RETAIL businesses hit by the UK riots lost more than 7,500 trading hours during the disruption, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
A total of 7,599 lost trading hours were reported by the body’s retail members, whose stores make up more than a quarter of the UK sector by sales.
That’s the equivalent of more than two-and-a-half years of trading, based on an eight-hour average day.
The cost of cleaning up areas of the UK hit by rioting and looting at the beginning of August has been estimated at around £200m, though the eventual bill could be much higher as some businesses remain closed.
As part of a package to support retailers, the government has announced that a fund of £30m will be made available to repair high streets, and an extra 28 days will be allowed for businesses to claim for damages they have suffered.
The survey also found that more than 11,000 members of staff at shops had been affected by the violence, with many reluctant to return to retail positions having been inside shops that were attacked.