Stores close early and board up windows amid looting fears

[dutchman]

Frightened traders were shutting up shop early yesterday amid fears of riots spreading to Coventry.



Many businesses boarded up their windows and sent staff home amid fears that terrifying violence seen in Birmingham and London would be repeated in the city.

Sports store SportsDirect.com at Central Six, boarded up its windows and called in locksmiths for extra security measures.

Managers at neighbouring stores on the retail park off Warwick Road including Gap, Next and Boots liaised with police but said they intended to keep to their normal opening hours.

Mark Rigden, manager of Boots, said: “We are trading as normal and will act on any police advice given if events change. If there are any riots we would evacuate the building - the safety of our customers and colleagues are paramount.”

Just after 4pm yesterday Argos asked shoppers to leave as it pulled the shutters down on its business in the City Arcade.

City centre-based T-Mobile and Phones 4U were forced to take extra security measures after branches in the capital and Birmingham were ransacked.

Ricky Parmar, store manager of Phones 4U, said: “It is a very scary situation. I live in Birmingham and I just can not believe what has happened.

“The first thing I did when I arrived at the store in Coventry was brief the staff on what measures we would take, just in case the violence spread to the city.

“We had to remove all the demo units and take all the stock and lock it away. We also brought down one of the shutters and I told the staff we would be closing at 4.30pm.

However, it was made clear that at the first sign of trouble we would just close and leave.

“The priority has to be the staff. In all the time I have been here in Coventry, I have never seen any rioting. During the morning, we had some suspicious looking people coming into the store and checking out what was on display.

“That was scary, but you have to remain calm and just try to get on with the job.”