London offices at 10 per cent occupancy after work from home directive
London offices plummeted to 10 per cent occupancy in the wake of fresh work from home guidance this week.
Occupancy on Tuesday 14 December was down on the previous week’s figure of an average of 28 per cent occupancy, according to workspace technology company Freespace.
The capital has been hit harder than other parts of the country by plan B measures, with office occupancy around the rest of the UK at an average of 12 per cent.
These were levels not seen since March this year, when the country was still under lockdown restrictions.
On last Tuesday, London recorded an average of 28 per cent occupancy, showing the immediate impact of work from home messaging. Across the country, the average Tuesday office occupancy throughout November hit levels of 33 per cent.
On Monday, the first day of the work from home order, the number of Londoners still travelling into work appeared to have fallen less than expected.
According to Transport for London data, bus usage before 10am on Monday morning fell just six per cent week on week, while tube usage was down 18 per cent.
Andrew Monk, the chief executive of VSA Capital, told the BBC he felt the new rules were “absurd” and “frustrating.”
“It’s a bit absurd that this time last year you were told go to work but don’t party. Now we’re being told party but don’t go to work,” the City boss added.
“We are much more productive when we are all in the office,” he said.