Israeli chain's London launch met with happy anticipation - and foreboding

Julian Hunt, a director of UK Lawyers for Israel, which supported pro-Israel activists fighting EcoStream picketers, said: "Bearing in mind what happened at EcoStream and Kedem, Israeli shops [opening in the UK] should keep a careful eye out for demonstrations. Especially when they've been violent in nature as we saw very unfortunately with the boycott of the EcoStream shop in Brighton.

"We know from bitter experience that the anti-Israel mob that protests outside these shops very often use tactics that are intimidating, violent and criminal."

A spokeswoman for the Union of Jewish Students said: "Due to the proximity of the store to many of our large London campuses, we will be working with students and monitoring whether the store opening has a negative impact on student lives.

"As with everything, we are always looking out for the way in which context and local activities affect Jewish life on campus and we will apply the same measures here."

But Hugo Bieber, the chief executive of UK Israel Business, welcomed the announcement. He said: "We are pleased to see yet another Israeli business enter the UK market place, investing in the UK and creating local jobs."

Despite a spike in boycott campaigns during Operation Protective Edge, trade between the UK and Israel from January to August was at a record high.