Restaurants close early amid fears of far-right rioting and violence

In Brighton, one of some 40 locations earmarked as a target for right-wing hooligans this evening, several businesses are reported to have been boarded up. 

The Royal Standard pub, Halisco, The Chicken Shop, Café Coho and Albion Kebabs are among the businesses in the south coast city shutting early amid fears of a resumption of racist violence and vandalism.

However some businesses in Brighton have vowed to remain open, including fine dining restaurant The Set. 

Posting on Instagram, owner Dan Kenny said: “Sadly a minority of far right hatred filled pricks are coming to town later today.

“I’ve spoke to the police and they’ve said we’re safe to open so we’ll be doing just that unless the safety of our customers and staff is at any risk.

“We stand with everyone in our community and it breaks are hearts that people don’t feel safe at the moment, hopefully that changes very soon.”

Businesses across Kent towns Canterbury, Dover and Medway were reported to have closed earlier amid fears of the worst night of violence yet. 

In the North East, Middlesbrough, already the scene of violence last week, was descried as like a “ghost town” on Wednesday afternoon. 

Shaheen’s Indian Restaurant in Durham closed after “far right flyers were given out in pubs.”

The Nags Head pub in Walthamstow said it was closed on Wednesday “due to potential protest in Walthamstow [and] to ensure the safety of our employees and customers.”

Businesses in Bristol announced that would shut ahead of more far-right protests on Wednesday, including Bristol Bear Bar. 

Mia Pizza restaurant in Islington told ITV News the threat of trouble will hit its business, and would force it to close. 

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) national chairman Martin McTague said small businesses have found themselves “on the front line” of recent public disorder and violence and that many have helped to clean up their streets afterwards.

He continued: “Local authorities, insurance companies and politicians of all stripes need to be ready to support their small businesses to rebuild, recover and get back on their feet. As the UK’s grassroots business network, FSB will do what we can to help.

“Local small business success rests on local support, in welcoming environments where people want to be. The images of the last few days are the opposite, and it must stop.”

UKHospitality has published a support hub for businesses and staff affected by the riots and disorder over the past week.​​ 

Footfall across the UK fell in the last week as far-right riots and looting broke out in cities and towns across England. 

Data from Sensormatic shows that when the rioting began on Tuesday, footfall was down “comprehensively” across all regions and nations. 

On Saturday, when the rioting was at its most violent, footfall in areas worst affected dropped significantly in Manchester (-17.5%), Bristol (-13.4%) and Belfast (-6.4%) and the North West region (-5.6%). 

The list of targets towns and cities was published on a far-right Telegram channel.

HOPE Not Hate said as the event locations have not been selected by local people them, it was unclear which would actually materialise. 

“As has been the case all week, it remains extremely difficult to accurately predict whether promoted events will materialise, as is the likely attendance numbers and the level of hostility/violence to be expected if they do,” a spokesperson said.