As well as offering a number of specialised drycleaning services, the company provides linen hire to hotels throughout the north and north-east.

Carrara said that the business does a great deal of service work and the part of the building that stored the linen was the worst affected. He had already bought stock to replace this linen and was trying to distribute it to customers. He added: “we are still trying to work out the extent of the damage to our other services. We may have to look at renting premises while the shop is repaired.”