(Bloomberg) – More than 15 months after the last normal commute, the City of London can officially return to the office today. But does it have?
To try to measure all the changes, our photographers documented some of the most important places in the city a week ago and then returned to the same places this morning to see what, if anything, had changed.
Cheerleaders for the office, look the other way now. From London Bridge to King’s Cross, the crowds remain stubbornly low. Shops and casual restaurants saw little additional custom, and even the lines for take-out coffee – the staple of the morning rush – were short.
This reluctance to return is understandable. Even as the government lifts restrictions, cases are on the rise, and hundreds of thousands of people are being advised to self-isolate, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s return to office not happening until September.
See if you can tell the difference:
London Bridge
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
Anniversary line
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
Waterloo train station
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
Waterloo underground station
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
Waterloo train station
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
King’s Cross Central
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
Google offices in King’s Cross
Monday July 12th.
Monday 19th July.
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