Although London's home-working rules are less strict than they once were, many people in the city still choose to work from home instead of going to work. Now, the mandatory home-working order from last year, which stated "People must work from home unless they can't," has been replaced by a much softer advice: "Work from home if you can." This has led some banks and brokerages to relax the rules, allowing staff to come in if they want.
But the city remains grim. According to Transport for London data, morning rush-hour journeys are down nearly 20% compared to last week, and about 46% fewer than before the pandemic.
Harry, who works at Bank of America, said his office was much quieter than usual on December 13, with only four people remaining from the dozens who showed up last Monday, and all employees had to decide whether they wanted to work from home or in the office.
Paul Chapman, managing director at insurance brokers Tysers, said his company was devastated by the situation but there was nothing they could do. He also said that London's streets and train stations were deserted and there were few people on them.
At Canary Wharf, a major financial centre in Tower Hamlets, most lunch stalls said their turnover had dropped significantly in recent times, with some venues reporting that they had taken just 20% of their normal turnover on 13 December. “Usually by 1pm we make around £500, but today we only made £98. It was the worst day in three months,” said Catarina Ferreira, a worker at Rudie’s Jerk Shack.
Many deserted streets in London. - Photo: AP/Alberto Pezzali
Many residents expressed disagreement with the advice of city officials, saying it was pointless to give advice without practical help.
Previously, many small businesses such as bakeries and restaurants were in trouble because they lost a large number of employees during the pandemic.
