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I get on the tube every day and see occupancy down by about 90% in rush hour. I keep expecting it to improve, but it's not. London is going bankrupt.
This country and in particular this city is not being honest with people. Selfridges are talking to their shareholders, but they're really talking to us.
"Economists had been forced to “redraw the scales” on their charts to reflect the depth of the crisis" https://www.onlondon.co.uk/london-economy-damage-figures-take-your-breath-away-says-chamber-of-commerce-chief/
"Two-thirds of companies with 10 or more employees had furloughed staff, with a quarter of firms participating in the furlough scheme expecting to lay off workers when it comes to an end."
"London’s city centre emptied out faster and deeper than other UK urban centres when lockdown started at the end of March" https://www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brown-neglecting-central-londons-vital-economy-would-be-disastrous-for-the-post-covid-uk/
• 50,000 West End jobs at risk
• 88% of people are uncomfortable using public transport
• 96% drop in foreign bookings to the UK for July
• Just 7,000 out of 120,000 back at work in Canary Wharf https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-economic-meltdown-revealed-investigation-a4496441.html
• 88% of people are uncomfortable using public transport
• 96% drop in foreign bookings to the UK for July
• Just 7,000 out of 120,000 back at work in Canary Wharf https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-economic-meltdown-revealed-investigation-a4496441.html
"In the 44-storey HSBC tower in Canary Wharf only about 200 essential staff including traders and senior investment bankers have returned out of a total complement of about 14,000." https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-economic-meltdown-revealed-investigation-a4496441.html
"Alexander Jan, chairman of the Bee Midtown business body representing traders in areas such as Holborn between the West End and the City, said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still only 10 to 15 per cent [of workers coming back] this side of Christmas."
"In France and Germany 30 to 40 per cent of workers are back in offices; in London it is more like three to four per cent.”"
"In London, the lifting of the bans on non-essential shops operating on June 15 and restaurants and bars on July 4 has produced only brief “Boxing Day style” surges with numbers quickly dying back again." https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-economic-meltdown-revealed-investigation-a4496441.html
Then there's this elephant in the room. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/28/brexit-will-deliver-double-shock-to-uk-economy-study-finds-coronavirus
I know most of you don't give a shit about any of this. But it's major and it's not good.
Victoria Line (6:22pm)
