High street businesses near where a man was stabbed have said they have lost significant takings as a result.

A 31-year-old man from London remains in a critical condition after being found collapsed in High Street, Epping, at 4am on Saturday.

A cordon was in place between Marks & Spencer and St John the Baptist Church throughout Saturday.

 Businesses within the cordon were ordered by police to remain closed while forensic investigations took place at the scene.

Karen Griffiths of St Clare’s Hospice, which has a charity shop in the area cordoned off, said it had lost a large amount of takings.

She said: "The town was dead. We lost a days trading – that is several hundreds of pounds."

Staff member at clothes shop Spirit, Tarlok Puaar, said: "I wasn't allowed in the shop, not even near it at first.

When we did enter we were not allowed to open.

"Obviously the police have to do their work, but in the long run it doesn't help us.

“We lost a considerable amount of money that day."

Supervisor at clothes shop Fat Face, Kirsty Bradford, said: "We were allowed to open but there was no trade, we are further down the High Street and it was really awful in the morning.

"It picked up a little in the afternoon but we were still down 25 per cent in takings.

"Sunday was worse, I know a Sunday can be affected by a lot of things but what happened on Saturday morning had a big impact on our Sunday trade."

Two men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the stabbing this week.

Both suspects have been released on bail and are due to report back to police on October 22.