Boris Johnson: Central London’s post-Covid recovery ‘may take a while’
Boris Johnson has said that central London’s economic recovery “may take a while” post-Covid as he today confirmed pubs and restaurants will reopen next Monday.
Johnson said at today’s press conference that he thinks “the London economy is capable of bouncing back very strongly”, particularly “when we get the life going again in the artistic, the cultural sector, the theatres and all the rest”.
Outdoor hospitality, non-essential retail, gyms, hairdressers, beauty salons, libraries and community centres will all be allowed to reopen from 12 April, the Prime minister announced.
Pubs and restaurants will only be allowed to have tables of a maximum six people from two households outdoors at a time, with everyone needing to be seated.
However, the government also said today that the resumption of international travel may be pushed back to June at the earliest.
Number 10 released an update on its international travel taskforce today, with the government saying “the state of the pandemic abroad, and the progress of vaccination programmes in other countries” meant England may not allow international travel on 17 May as previously planned.
A number of other updates were also released about reviews into Covid vaccine passports and the future of social distancing, however little update was given on the future of working from home arrangements.
When asked if the government had plans to get central London moving again, Johnson said: “I happen to think the London economy is capable of bouncing back very strongly and the way to do that is to get people back into the centre, get people moving again, get the agglomeration effects of a gigantic metropolis like London working again.
“I think that will all come back, I think it may take a while to all come back, but I’ve absolutely no doubt London will bounce back very strongly, particularly when we get life going again in the artistic, the cultural sector, the theatres all the rest.”
The capital has been disproportionately economically affected by the pandemic, with Office for National Statistics figures showing London’s unemployment is at 6.9 per cent compared to the UK rate of 5.1 per cent.
The Centre for London think tank also found there was a 170 per cent increase in people claiming benefits in London between March and October 2020, compared with a 120 per cent rise UK-wide.
However, business confidence in the capital has begun to tick upwards, providing hope for a central London turnaround as Covid restrictions are eased.
A new survey by Savanta ComRes/the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has revealed that 29 per cent of business leaders in the first quarter of 2021 said London’s economic prospects will improve over the coming year – a 9 per cent rise from quarter four 2020.
Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Luisa Porritt said Johnson “has his head in the sand if he doesn’t believe the homeworking revolution will change the way London works”.
“A hybrid model, with some time spent in the office and some working from home, will become the new normal,” she said.