Deserted streets, empty restaurants, shuttered stores: London's financial districts remain largely abandoned by workers still worried about the pandemic and reluctant to return to office life.
It is up to individual companies to decide how forcefully to urge their staff back and many are opting for a more relaxed approach. But it expects things to change more significantly in September, when children are set to return to school.Only 34% of executives in Britain – 31% in London – are back in the office, a study by United States bank Morgan Stanley reported this week.
"We've had our lunch, now let's get back to work!" screamed the paper's front page on Tuesday, August 4, the day after the government launched a restaurant support scheme paying a chunk of diners' bills.Large companies like NatWest Bank have recommended that the majority of their employees continue to work remotely until next year.