Richmond Chamber of Commerce has urged any businesses that suffered damage or loss due to the riots in London to make a compensation claim.

Companies will have 42 days to put in a bid with their local police authority.

They will be eligible for compensation if rioters damaged or stole from shops, houses or other buildings, but will not be able to claim if their trade suffered because they closed early.

Acting Chief Inspector Hannah Wheeler, of Richmond police, said three businesses in Richmond were thought to have been affected.

She said: “We are not aware of any that were damaged. I think three businesses have claimed and I’ve asked the local authority to ask who they are to give some reassurance and to check they are OK. I just need to know what we might be unaware of that might be related.”

Traders in the borough’s town centres escaped serious trouble, although many held their breath as a mob of 200 thugs raided shops in Ealing, just five miles from Richmond, on Monday, August 8.

A group of youths smashed into a Texaco petrol station, in Upper Richmond Road West, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 9.

Jayne Jackson, Hampton Hill’s town centre manager, said a yob smashed a window of Your Local Plumbing Company, in High Street, on Tuesday, August 9, and firefighters were called to put out burning mattresses following a suspected arson attack behind Homebase, in Manor Road, North Sheen, the following night.

The Greater London Authority said it had set aside £50m to help affected businesses.

For more information, visit direct.gov.uk.