London - Where is Everyone?

[Belperpete]

I recently travelled from North Wales to London. I carefully chose a train that would arrive well before rush hour, but as they say, the best laid plans.... I eventually arrived at Euston at 5pm-ish, on a weekday. I was concerned about travelling in the rush hour on the Victoria Line as normally it would be crush-loaded at that time. No need - there were no more than about a dozen or so people on the platform, and less than 50% seats occupied on the train. And this in what would normally be rush hour! I have seen it far busier on a Sunday! Likewise when I got to Victoria main-line, the place was near-deserted. I was gob-smacked.

On the following day, on the District line platform at Victoria at 09:30-ish, someone next to me on the platform commented when a Circle train came in "I was expecting it to be packed - its empty!". And my local high street is currently busier than Oxford Street! OK, we do have an exceptionally high number of tourists here in Wales at present, but even so.

I wouldn't go so far as to say London is a ghost town, but it is certainly a ghost of what it used to be. Birmingham on my last visit a week or so before, was far busier than London. Where are all the Londoners? They can't all be on holiday surely?

 

[yorksrob]

I walked through central London a couple of Friday's ago mid-morning. Seemed very quiet, but I assumed everyone was at work.


Conversely, coming back through on Sunday (including stopping off for refreshment), things seemed a bit more lively.

 

[westv]

A large number are still WFH.

 

[BJames]

Victoria Line has still been reasonably loaded in my experience. Don't forget trains are every 2 minutes and with a substantial number of people still working from home this is more than enough to swallow up the remaining passengers easily.

If any tubes are cancelled or delayed for any reason you notice that there are certainly still a fair few people out and about.

It's still relatively lively around King's Cross. Likewise Seven Sisters Overground quite busy on Tuesday at about 5pm.

 

[thejuggler]

Many thousands still working from home and never underestimate just how many foreign tourists haven’t travelled to the UK this year.

I was in Scotland last week and didn’t see a single holiday tourist coach. They just simply aren’t operating as holiday bookings were all cancelled almost 6 months ago.

 

[nlogax]

Working from home like all my other London-based colleagues. My offices are still closed, many of our clients' offices are still closed so we can't physically meet with them, there's no requirement to leave our front door from a professional standpoint. Personally I find it hugely frustrating.

 

[philosopher]

In the West End and on Oxford Street, I would say normally about half the people are tourists. There are very few tourists at the moment in London.

Off-peak, national rail stations in London are definitely picking up and they do not seem that much quieter than normal. The tube however I yet to see more than half the seats taken since I starting using the tube back in June, regardless of what time of day it is. Normally even off-peak on the tube you would expect all the seats taken in Central London.

 

[Belperpete]

In the West End and on Oxford Street, I would say normally about half the people are tourists. There are very few tourists at the moment in London.

And a significant proportion of those would normally be foreign tourists. Clearly people in the UK are not coming to London for their holidays. Those businesses in London that rely on the tourist trade must be really struggling.

I have to admit I was surprised at how much busier and buzzier Birmingham seemed to be than London.

 

[Mike395]

Mine was one of 8 rooms occupied in a 100-odd room Central London hotel a couple of weekends back - though I was also in London last weekend and it felt noticeably busier, even with the dreary weather, so maybe things are starting to pick back up (with daytrippers particularly).

 

[telstarbox]

Oxford Street and Trafalgar Square still have a fair few tourists on a sunny day like today. The buskers are back so they obviously think it's busy enough.
Lots of office people are still WFH but retail, hospitality, construction are big sectors in Central London and those people have come back.
Tubes are getting slightly busier but still way down on last year. On the Central line that's not a bad thing!

 

[Ken H]

With many still WFH, many support businesses will be shut down or working at reduced capacity.
Stuff like catering outlets, especially the ones on stations, facilities management people. bet less taxis around chasing fewer passengers.
And WFH is the genie they wont get back in the bottle. at least not all of it.
and of course some jobs have gone permanently.

 

[thejuggler]

When you can get a room in a Premierinn in Westminster tomorrow night for £60 you know things are quiet. At this time of year they would usually be £150+ if you can find a vacancy.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Having commuted into London for work all during lockdown I think a lot of the blame for quietness should fall firmly at the feet of the mayor.

He spent months discouraging tube travel and most tube stations had signs at the entrance saying something like "no entry unless a key worker".

Buses are limited in capacity. I dont know how this will work when schools are back.

Foot traffic in the west end is (from memory) 37% down since masks were introduced. But yet he is still encouraging masks to be worn in more places

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I nipped up for a couple of hours today - TLK to Blackfriars (south end) and walked to the Ian Allan shop at Blackfriars - 188 bus to Russel Square and thence to Dylans bookshop - back to St Pancras via Euston and train back at 1633.

Compared to say a month ago - a lot more people around , yes the weather was lovely and there was a lot of al-fresco lunching going on at the Waterloo area (the "Cut") had good business at the eateries and plenty of pedestrians around. I had a quick sit in the park at Bedford Square and it was busy , I suspect the university area will be back to normal in a few weeks -pretty much everything open shops and resturaunt wise.

Whilst the 188 bus was light on traffic , the trains were "as normal" for off peak (6 in the first class on a 700 , and they looked "legal") , the passing car parks were about 25-30% full at Mill Hill , Elstree and Radlett so it looks like there are some returning commuters. London is waking up a bit in Zone 1 (it was busier recently in the suburbs)

For those who worry about contamination - face mask compliance at 99% , you can count on one hand non wearers. (where they need to be worn)

 

[Djgr]

Quite a lot of people I know decanted out of London to the North (where they would prefer to be living) at the start of lockdown and haven't returned.

 

[deltic]

A higher proportion of London based workers can work at home compared to other parts of the UK and employers are not keen on them coming back into work as they all virtually use public transport. So city centre is dead, retail in the west end is dead, havent been in the centre in the evening since eat out to help out started so dont know whether that is encouraging people to visit. However, quite a lot of UK tourists around now - London Eye and South Bank was reasonably busy at the weekend. Traffic is back to previous levels if not worse, have experienced quite a few traffic jams. We have staff working from home - where back home is other countries or parents outside London.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Quite a lot of people I know decanted out of London to the North (where they would prefer to be living) at the start of lockdown and haven't returned.

Very much so - and local estate agents here in Herts (always happy to talk up their business) are gloating that demand for houses / flats with gardens has never been greater. Even with the ex turmoils of Thameslink - a journey a couple of days a week in 25 to 30 mins in a "big" train with air con , is far better than a crammed non air con journey in a small gauge tube train from say zones 2 -5.

 

[route101]

When you can get a room in a Premierinn in Westminster tomorrow night for £60 you know things are quiet. At this time of year they would usually be £150+ if you can find a vacancy.

Ive seen Travelodges in central London at the £30 tO £50 mark.

Not seen many tourists at all, in Edinburgh i seen some French tourists and some Dutch.

 

[westv]

Very much so - and local estate agents here in Herts (always happy to talk up their business) are gloating that demand for houses / flats with gardens has never been greater. Even with the ex turmoils of Thameslink - a journey a couple of days a week in 25 to 30 mins in a "big" train with air con , is far better than a crammed non air con journey in a small gauge tube train from say zones 2 -5.

Does Herts count as "the north"?

 

[Journeyman]

When you can get a room in a Premierinn in Westminster tomorrow night for £60 you know things are quiet. At this time of year they would usually be £150+ if you can find a vacancy.

I've got a premium room for three nights in the County Hall one next week. The price was staggeringly low.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Does Herts count as "the north"?

Course not , but the implications for that there London are interesting to say the least, no one cares about the loss of value for so called foreign investors buying properties in London for their own selfish reasons , - but the overall cost and over development of "box" flats all over the city - with just about a balcony to store a bike and minimal space must be challenging for those trying to sell them on. If you can manage a job from anywhere - be it suburbs , green belt overspill (like Herts) - or "the North and Midlands" , then good luck to you.

It must have been hellish in the hard lock down - my neighbour managed a team remotely - many of them initially stuck in such places , and he really worried about their well being. (especially if they were on their own) - the sale of the "cool , urban life of London" seems to have taken a bit of a hammering.

Anyway - off topic - but the overheated rental market in New York City has seen 10%+ falls in city "lets" -this will happen I am sure in London. (and probably other cities such as maybe Manchester or Birmingham) - the suburban or ex-urban dream may may yet inspire.

 

[mmh]

I nipped up for a couple of hours today - TLK to Blackfriars

TLK?

 

[DerekC]

TLK - Thameslink. @ChiefPlanner obviously lives somewhere on the Borehamwood - St Albans - Harpenden axis.

 

[Crossover]

Funnily enough, I heard a mention this morning on the radio (I think - life is a bit of a blur!) that now is a 'great time' to visit London due to how quiet it is.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

TLK - Thameslink. @ChiefPlanner obviously lives somewhere on the Borehamwood - St Albans - Harpenden axis.

St Albans - since 1990 - 17 mins walk to the station !

 

[Reliablebeam]

It's started to get busier over the last 10 days or so, from what I can see, although a lot of tourist attractions are shockingly dead, and many are WFH or only going in a day or so a week. I would agree that the Mayor of London has not done himself any favours with his messaging. Quite a number of tube stations were shut until quite recently as well. I have noticed a small number of foreign tourists bumbling around - there are certainly some Scandinavians and Germans about.

On the other hand, now is possibly the time to 'fill yer boots' on London tourist stuff...........

 

[Hadders]

I've been working in London today. Definitely getting busier but still much quieter than normal. Took the Victoria Line from Highbury & Islington to Vauxhall at 07:45 this morning and returned from Vauxhall to Kings Cross at 17:15. Quiet this morning, managed to get a seat and virtually no-one standing. This evening standing room only, much busier. Things to bear in mind:

Not many tourists - virtually no international tourists, for example
No 'big events' that drive custom
Entertainment still closed, e.g. theatres, sporting events
Most office workers still working from home and if my employer is anything to go by won't be returning large scale this side of Christmas

 

[Bald Rick]

St Albans - since 1990 - 17 mins walk to the station !

14 mins for me Guv’!

 

[Andyh82]

When you can get a room in a Premierinn in Westminster tomorrow night for £60 you know things are quiet. At this time of year they would usually be £150+ if you can find a vacancy.

Just had a look and every Premier Inn in London seems to be £60 per night so that must be their base level.

You can see why even UK tourists are giving it a miss this year, the London hustle and bustle that will be in people’s minds isn’t compatible to what people want at this time.

 

[johntea]

Seemed busy enough to me, obviously zero 'social distancing' going on Underground! (I even got asked by a passenger if I could move my bag off a seat next to me so they could sit down last week!)

I always personally find it fascinating I can be whizzing around on a Tube mid morning in 'the big smoke' then by late afternoon back in good old Yorkshire

Also if you want a hotel, Travelodge at the minute are very cheap compared to Premier Inn, at one point you were talking £35 a night at somewhere like Clapham Junction! I also just returned from Reading this weekend, £52.98 for 2 nights at the Travelodge there although in fairness that one is in some dire need of some TLC but having said that still a pefectly serviceable night's sleep