Telford Shopping Centre to close early

Thursday 11th August 2011, 10:59AM BST.

Police stand guard at the entrance to a looted shop in Birmingham

Telford Shopping Centre will close early tonight as a precaution after rioting and looting caused widespread destruction across England. Bosses said the centre will shut at 6pm.

Chris Jones, centre director at Telford Shopping Centre said: “The decision to close early this evening has been taken as purely a precautionary measure and is not a reaction to any specific threat to Telford.

“We are only too aware of what’s happened this week to our neighbours in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and West Bromwich and simply feel there is no justification for taking any risks at this sensitive time.

“We have a responsibility to both our customers and those who work at Telford Shopping Centre to put their safety first, and a responsibility to recognise the short term pressure on our police force.”

The centre is normally open until 8pm on a Thursday for late night shopping, but it will shut early tonight because bosses said it was “not worth the risk”.

It came after David Cameron visited Wolverhampton yesterday and told rioters: “You will be found, you will be convicted and you will be punished.”

The Prime Minister, who was today holding a cabinet meeting to discuss the crisis and an emergency session of Parliament, visited traders who had seen businesses smashed up and their goods stolen by a rioting mob.

No forces reported any major incidents last night as thousands of officers packed the streets to prevent a fifth night of disorder.

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