London: the unlockening/relockening

[teuchter]

Thought it may be interesting to record what happens as London starts to attempt to return to something less abnormal, on a thread that those who are not interested in London specifics can ignore.

My observations over the past week or so are that it feels less busy the further into the centre you go. Outer London seems to be returning to relatively high levels of traffic. In zones 1 and 2 the roads are still fairly quiet. In residential areas parks are busy and not uncommon to see things like queues outside takeaways. The last few days I've definitely seen barbecues and suchlike, going on in back gardens.

Central London remains almost entirely deserted. Inside the congestion charge zone, hardly any traffic except buses. A fair bit of traffic on the roads immediately around it. Next to nothing open - spotted a couple of places in china town seemingly open for takeaways but it didn't look like they were getting much business.

Royal parks quite busy though.

Planes into Heathrow now and again but nowhere near 'normal' level.

 

[Teaboy]

I've not left my local area for months. I'm in SW London out in zone 4/5.

The roads are definitely a lot busier. We have a lot of parks round here and they are full of people mostly young families meeting up with other young families, they were well ahead of Johnson in deciding that they can all meet up and so far ahead they don't even need to bother with the 2m.

A lot of independent coffee shops have been open for a while for take away and in general if it wasn't for all the pubs and restaurants being closed you could probably be forgiven for thinking it was all normal.

Lot of posh white smug twats round here who think the virus doesn't apply to them. They point to the very low number of deaths in the borough, I point to them to the fact we don't have a hospital in the borough that takes suspected covid patients...

 

[Brainaddict]

I guess if you take the tourists, shopping, pubs and entertainment out of central London, there's not a lot going on. It's certainly got pretty busy again out here in zone 2

 

[marty21]

Hackney is busier over the last week or so, more pubs are doing takeaways, so people are queuing with various bottles to get a beer , and then if the pub is near a park, having it there. My local is starting it's beer & food takeaway service on Thursday with a TV Chef doing the food. Andy Oliver, who lives locally (often see her about)

 

[teuchter]

I guess if you take the tourists, shopping, pubs and entertainment out of central London, there's not a lot going on. It's certainly got pretty busy again out here in zone 2

The Falun Gong protesters on Great Portland street were back in business when I went past the other day though.
And a lone man singing with a loudspeaker at Picadilly circus.
Zero hecklers outside Downing Street though.

 

[bimble]

Very tempting to come in and just walk about and see central London empty like this.
Would be better if the human yoda statues are still there standing very still waiting for the tourists to come back.

 

[Numbers]

Hackney is busier over the last week or so, more pubs are doing takeaways, so people are queuing with various bottles to get a beer , and then if the pub is near a park, having it there. My local is starting it's beer & food takeaway service on Thursday with a TV Chef doing the food. Andy Oliver, who lives locally (often see her about)

Is that Andi Oliver's sister?

 

[marty21]

Is that Andi Oliver's sister?

Yes

 

[Pickman's model]

Very tempting to come in and just walk about and see central London empty like this.
Would be better if the human yoda statues are still there standing very still waiting for the tourists to come back.

died of starvation like all the office plants

 

[Numbers]

Yes

She's popular in this house
We recently cooked this Sweet potatoe roti with fried chicken, ital vegetables and rundown sauce by her.

Fried chicken and ital veg recipe

All the flavours of the Caribbean are here in this delicious celebration dish that is perfect for a summer dinner party or special occasion meal.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[planetgeli]

I'm coming to London in 3 weeks! I'm so looking forward to the empty stree...oh.

 

[T & P]

The almost total absence of traffic wardens during the lockdown in London has been glorious. I hope they will give some kind of warning before they start patrolling again.

I'm happy to report they're don't yet seem to be back at work in Lambeth (at leaast not in my area) or Chelsea. I saw one in Westminster last week but AFAICT if they're working there it is certainly not in full numbers. I guess next week things might change.

 

[marty21]

She's popular in this house
We recently cooked this Sweet potatoe roti with fried chicken, ital vegetables and rundown sauce by her.

Fried chicken and ital veg recipe

All the flavours of the Caribbean are here in this delicious celebration dish that is perfect for a summer dinner party or special occasion meal.

www.bbc.co.uk

get over to the Crooked Billet in Clapton, from Thursday, surely it is an essential journey for you

 

[Supine]

St Pancras and Euston are noticeably busier today. Still lots of space but now a couple of hundred people around rather than 5-10.

 

[Numbers]

get over to the Crooked Billet in Clapton, from Thursday, surely it is an essential journey for you

Can make it so... one day, be lovely to have a pint with ya

 

[Numbers]

As for the great unlocking, around this part of Newham it’s never truly been locked down unfortunately.

 

[Schmetterling]

Very tempting to come in and just walk about and see central London empty like this.
Would be better if the human yoda statues are still there standing very still waiting for the tourists to come back.

I am sitting in Trafalger Square eating my Chinese takeaway lunch right now and I can confirm that there are no Yodas.

 

[teuchter]

The most sinister thing in central london is the telecom tower with the illuminated 'control the virus' message scrolling around the top. When you see it looming over empty streets in the twilight it feels quite apocalyptic.

 

[Schmetterling]

Update; well I can report that that pigeons are definitely out in Trafalger Square as one pooped on my shoulder.

 

[Winot]

Currently in the office (Chancery Lane) to check the post (am popping in once a week). Surprisingly, there are a number of takeaways open for lunch. Also M&S Food.

Main change I have seen over the lockdown period is increasing numbers of people using Santander bikes in Central London (e.g. around Parliament Square).

 

[Teaboy]

Main change I have seen over the lockdown period is increasing numbers of people using Santander bikes in Central London (e.g. around Parliament Square).

Likely because the chances of being knocked off and killed has moved out from 50/50 to 1 in 5.

 

[Dogsauce]

Kind of still wish I lived in Zone 1, I could have been having a lot of fun tearing about on the bike. Or be dead of Covid.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Kind of still wish I lived in Zone 1, I could have been having a lot of fun tearing about on the bike. Or be dead of Covid.

Been thinking of taking my bike up to town for a burn up on empty streets, used to when I was at school, Sundays most shops were shut so could go from the west end through to the wastelands of docklands via the city with no traffic and no one to moan as you zoomed down steps in pedestrianised bits.

 

[teuchter]

It's certainly quite nice going around on a bike in central london at present, especially in the evenings. Stopping for traffic lights and not much else.

 

[IC3D]

Been cycling to work through Central London all through this. It was completely empty for a long time but last few weeks lots of people cycling around enjoying the empty streets in the evening.
Roads pretty reasonable in the mornings. Still mostly construction and NHS. Hopefully everyone else will stay at home on their laptops for a bit longer esp City boys, got a bit used to it .

 

[pseudonarcissus]

It's certainly quite nice going around on a bike in central london at present, especially in the evenings. Stopping for traffic lights and not much else.

View attachment 215240

the light's green mate....were you out "testing your eyesight"?

 

[teuchter]

I've also been cycling outwards ... from zone two to the edge of London and into the green belt. I tried doing this once or twice pre-corona but it's pretty miserable cycling through endless suburbia on polluted streets amongst angry van drivers and gave up on it.

Early-ish in the lockdown I tried it and it was completely different - roads almost clear all the way out and back in again. Since then the traffic has gradually returned, most notably once you get beyond z3. However, it's prompted me to refine some routes that avoid busy roads as much as possible and maybe I'll be able to continue using them.

 

[William of Walworth]

Good thread idea.

I'm rarely in London nowadays even in normal times, since I exiled myself to West Wales back in 2008

But still having the 'of Walworth' Urban name for pre-Wales and seventeen-year-long reasons , I'd like to keep up

Moar laters

 

[Artaxerxes]

Fuck knows what's going to happen to the various tourist sights next few months.

Likely because the chances of being knocked off and killed has moved out from 50/50 to 1 in 5.

Number of people I see texting while riding those in heavy (moving) traffic gives me doubts as to humanities future.

Mad gits...

 

[SpookyFrank]

She's popular in this house
We recently cooked this Sweet potatoe roti with fried chicken, ital vegetables and rundown sauce by her.

Fried chicken and ital veg recipe

All the flavours of the Caribbean are here in this delicious celebration dish that is perfect for a summer dinner party or special occasion meal.

www.bbc.co.uk

Is it still ital if you serve it with fried chicken