Several high street stores have been the victim of lootings and attacks during the wave of violence that has spread across cities including Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Belfast.

In Hull, rioters smashed their way into a Greggs, and also attacked a Lush, a Specsavers and a Shoe Zone.

In Manchester, Sainsbury’s Mosley Street local store was forced to close after rioters ransacked its shelves. An Iceland was also looted in Middlesbrough.

Clive Black, a retail analyst at Shore Capital, said: “These businesses will have insurance. And they can handle the damage but it doesn’t mean it’s in aggregate inconsequential.

“You’re talking about tens of thousands of pounds of stock being lost, and probably more than tens of thousands of pounds of fixtures and fittings being damaged. And then the more subjective stuff of people being scared witless.

“These mindless, witless t–s haven’t a second thought about the damage they’re doing to Britain as a place to invest, because it’ll go viral around the world.”