Retailers Asda and Sainsbury's are among businesses that have signed up to a charity initiative that will see senior store and project managers despatched to work in deprived areas such as Tottenham and Lambeth, which were badly hit by this month's riots.
Ten companies, including BT, Dairy Crest and Greggs, have signed up to the pilot scheme run by Business in the Community. So-called "business connectors" will be seconded to communities for at least six months to provide assistance to residents and groups trying to tackle issues such as youth unemployment, educational underachievement and a weak local enterprise culture. Its chief executive Stephen Howard said it was a "crucial time" for businesses to get involved in communities: "I believe healthy back streets create healthy high streets."
The project, backed by the government's Office of Civil Society, will start next month in 20 areas and will be supported by a social networking website to "broker" offers of support available in other parts of the country.
Retail experts have warned that without hasty intervention, the rioting could push some of Britain's most troubled high streets into a spiral of decline. Last week saw the launch of the High Street Fund, chaired by Sir William Castell, who is chairman of the Wellcome Trust. It will administer grants of up to £2,000 to small business suffering cash flow problems due to the violence. It has raised £3m to date but a target of £10m has been set to enable a second round of funding. "We need to rebuild our high streets quickly," said Castell. "They're under economic stress and don't have the footfall at the moment to balance the books."