London: the unlockening/relockening

[hash tag]

I still haven't been outside but I do know a neighbouring construction site continued working throughout
The 24 hour working started on the Thames Tideway Tunnel last week which we can hear throughout the night
We have heard the odd helicopter coming and going and have regularly seen and heard the chinooks flying over, always in pairs.
I see parking restrictions are now being enforced again and buses are slowly returning to front door loading again, which means people
will have to start paying again. Drivers will try and limit passengers to 20 on a double decker - I wish them well with that

Front-door boarding will start being reintroduced on London buses from Saturday

London's buses are set to resume front door boarding following the introduction of new safety measures aimed at minimising the coronavirus risk to…

www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk

 

[tommers]

Been walking the dog in our local park and it's been noticeable that there have been loads more people in large groups drinking and having barbecues recently.

Traffic is almost back to pre-covid levels too.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Very tempting to come in and just walk about and see central London empty like this.

this tweeter account may appeal

London After People (@PeopleAfter) on Twitter

The latest Tweets from London After People (@PeopleAfter). London After People is the name of @MonicaAnnWalker Project for documenting Life in the Time of Corona in the fair city of London, UK, 2020. London, U.K.

twitter.com

 

[clicker]

Daytime traffic is definitely busier. But it still quietens down massively after about 8pm. Leads me to believe it's mostly work related traffic, not 'going out out' traffic. No one travelling home from pubs, restaurants and theatres etc leaves the roads empty in the evenings.
Buses going past during the day never seem to have more than 10 passengers, half or more of them wearing masks. As mentioned above, good luck limiting buses to 20 passengers once schools and non essential workers go back.

 

[Cerv]

I don't see how it'll work.
if the driver keeps the front door closed to restrict boarding, some people will just jump on the middle & back doors rather than wait for the next. it already happened all the time in pre-covid days when buses were genuinely full to bursting.

 

[hash tag]

Our stop is in the middle of a route, one bus arriving from Roehampton on it's way to Victoria, the other comes from Tooting.
Sometimes Mrs Tag has to get two buses to work or back home, changing at Vauxhall. I imagine any bus coming in to Vauxhall will have if full complement of passengers on arrival.
It will not be easy.

 

[teuchter]

Daytime traffic is definitely busier. But it still quietens down massively after about 8pm. Leads me to believe it's mostly work related traffic, not 'going out out' traffic. No one travelling home from pubs, restaurants and theatres etc leaves the roads empty in the evenings.
Buses going past during the day never seem to have more than 10 passengers, half or more of them wearing masks. As mentioned above, good luck limiting buses to 20 passengers once schools and non essential workers go back.

Matches my observations.

I've noticed also in the past few weeks, while traffic is gradually returning on weekdays, it's been a lot quieter at weekends. Going out for a ride this afternoon, will see if that's changed now.

 

[scifisam]

I haven't been outside often enough to notice the difference on any street beyond mine, but my street has got noticeably busier in the last couple of days. It's generally a quiet road anyway, because it's a no-through road, but I hadn't realised that in the last few weeks it's been essentially silent. Suddenly there are loads of people walking past, particularly in the evening, and the tube station we're en route to is still closed, so it's not that.

Not sure why there's such an increase. Maybe people are spending the last of their furlough leave having garden parties? The other side of the road is almost entirely shared houses with young people in their twenties and thirties, so they wouldn't have been able to socially isolate from each other which would make the dangers of socialising feel less immediate, and they probably see themselves as low risk. But they have gardens, so can have socially distanced parties, except for getting through to the garden through the house.

This is zone 2 but not far from zone 1.

A friend of mine lives just under the Shard and her photos are still mostly of empty streets.

 

[William of Walworth]

I'm likely to make a (very rare) visit to London in the Autumn -- November-ish, most likely (??).

My best London friends** (fellow India-goers with me in early 2018) will be organising a commemoration and celebration of the life of our late co-India-goer Andy -- cancer got him in January, and he was only 51

**ETA : Non-Urban ones I mean!

I suspect that there's a fair chance by then that in London things could be back to normalish ( ), but I'm going to have to keep an eye on this thread as it progresses.

Cheers for posting, all

 

[marty21]

Walked up to Clissold Park in Stoke Newington this afternoon. It was like a music festival there, loads of folk. Also noticed a few more pubs selling takesway beer. One was doing great business at Hackney Downs, it's right by the park. Noticed a more back street boozer was serving in plastic glasses and drinkers were just sitting outside on newly installed benches & tables

 

[alsoknownas]

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)

Remind me to introduce you to her some time. She's very lovely, and an old friend .

 

[scifisam]

I'm likely to make a (very rare) visit to London in the Autumn -- Novermber-ish, most likely (??).

My best London friends** (fellow India-goers with me in early 2018) will be organising a commemoration and celebration of the life of our late co-India-goer Andy -- cancer got him in January, and he was only 51

**ETA : Non-Urban ones I mean!

I suspect that there's a fair chance by then that in London things could be back to normalish ( ), but I'm going to have to keep an eye on this thread as it progresses.

Cheers for posting, all

If you still can't make a visit to London in November for corona reasons then we'll have bigger problems to worry about. Come here and let us know when you do

 

[Cerv]

Camden market is reopening tomorrow. with a one way system, more queuing, and crowd control wardens.

going to be weird without the million teenage tourists packing the place out. amazed they think it'll be worthwhile.

 

[Ms T]

I’m in work in central London once a week and it’s quite eery. OnTuesday I ate my lunch in Cavendish Square and was the only person pretty much without a hi-vis vest and work boots.

 

[nagapie]

I am on the bus. Boarding from the front again with some tape over the air vents of the driver's carriage; I would not be happy about that if I was a bus driver.

 

[T & P]

Traffic wardens are back at worth in Lambeth.

 

[marty21]

Walked down Lea Bridge Road in Hackney this morning at about 8.00am, before lockdown it was very busy at that time of the morning, during lockdown, initially it was very quiet, you could cross without bothering with traffic lights - this morning it was back almost to pre lockdown traffic. A bus passed me it was not full, maybe 10 people upstairs, and couldn't really see the downstairs but it didn't look packed. It had sign in front saying 'Bus Full' , looks like they are only letting a certain number of passengers on before declaring it full.

 

[Hollis]

Get the impression people are in very different places psychologically with coming out of lockdown - I've been communting into work at a school using public transport throughout, so I have to say I'm fairly blaise/fatalistic about it. But started a new job today, also in education, in they seemed rather horrified that I'd been using public transport, and more or less told me I should still be working from home..

 

[smokedout]

I went for a walk round the newly re-opened Camden Market earlier although open is a bit of an over statement. Most of the table top stalls at the top of the market by the lock were open but there wasn't anyone buying anything as far as I could tell. A few of the food stalls had opened, and a few more looked like they were preparing to restart trading and there were some people sat at the tables having a coffee or something, but not many and mostly Camden type people and local workers not visitors. I guess because the tables are communal then it creates a kind of loophole so once word gets round the food and drink places might do alright given they're about the only places in London you can sit at a table and have a snack or drink - no bars open though, although it was only 1pm.

Inside the market was deserted, the traders haven't come back and neither have the punters. I doubt more than one in twenty units were open and quite a few looked like they'd been stripped of stock and fittings and have probably closed down already. I think the legality of them opening might be a bit questionable giving lots of the units on the market are basically small shops but the odd one was trading, as was one of the tourist tat shops on the High Street. The indoor parts of the market were all still closed and fenced off. Was quite weird walking round the deserted passageways that would usually be rammed with people.

It's hard to see how it can survive on the scale it once was. Ironically Camden could do with a decent market, there's a lot of social housing round there and not that much infrastructure for non tourists. It wouldn't surprise me if temporarily at least it becomes more geared to the local community, I hope so, although probably more like Portobello Road with no doubt a load of foodie shit for the residents of the newly built posh flats and the antique shops surviving. It also wouldn't surprise me to see big brands take over the High Street, it was happening already and there's probably quite a few will be happy to withstand a couple of lean years in order to get a foothold on Camden High Street. That depends though on whether London will be able to support another high end hyper-gentrified retail zone, which doesn't seem as guaranteed as it once was. I guess it's daft to make predictions except that Camden, along with other central London districts, are going to look very different in a couple of years. In the meantime if you've ever fancied running a stall on Camden Market I reckon the rents are going to be pretty cheap for a while.

 

[Pickman's model]

I’m in work in central London once a week and it’s quite eery. OnTuesday I ate my lunch in Cavendish Square and was the only person pretty much without a hi-vis vest and work boots.

I suppose you'll have them on next time you eat your lunch there

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I went for a walk round the newly re-opened Camden Market earlier although open is a bit of an over statement. Most of the table top stalls at the top of the market by the lock were open but there wasn't anyone buying anything as far as I could tell. A few of the food stalls had opened, and a few more looked like they were preparing to restart trading and there were some people sat at the tables having a coffee or something, but not many and mostly Camden type people and local workers not visitors. I guess because the tables are communal then it creates a kind of loophole so once word gets round the food and drink places might do alright given they're about the only places in London you can sit at a table and have a snack or drink - no bars open though, although it was only 1pm.

Inside the market was deserted, the traders haven't come back and neither have the punters. I doubt more than one in twenty units were open and quite a few looked like they'd been stripped of stock and fittings and have probably closed down already. I think the legality of them opening might be a bit questionable giving lots of the units on the market are basically small shops but the odd one was trading, as was one of the tourist tat shops on the High Street. The indoor parts of the market were all still closed and fenced off. Was quite weird walking round the deserted passageways that would usually be rammed with people.

It's hard to see how it can survive on the scale it once was. Ironically Camden could do with a decent market, there's a lot of social housing round there and not that much infrastructure for non tourists. It wouldn't surprise me if temporarily at least it becomes more geared to the local community, I hope so, although probably more like Portobello Road with no doubt a load of foodie shit for the residents of the newly built posh flats and the antique shops surviving. It also wouldn't surprise me to see big brands take over the High Street, it was happening already and there's probably quite a few will be happy to withstand a couple of lean years in order to get a foothold on Camden High Street. That depends though on whether London will be able to support another high end hyper-gentrified retail zone, which doesn't seem as guaranteed as it once was. I guess it's daft to make predictions except that Camden, along with other central London districts, are going to look very different in a couple of years. In the meantime if you've ever fancied running a stall on Camden Market I reckon the rents are going to be pretty cheap for a while.

Honestly can't see how the market can survive in anything like its previous form either - so hugely tourist-dependent, and that won't come back for a long time.

I've seen that Shepherds Bush Market is gradually re-opening (though closing early) but that's actually a working market and gets its money from locals, plus some occasional fabric buyers. Similarly the fabric shops on Goldhawk Road next to it are re-opening.

I love the shops in the market but most of them are oppressively tiny and packed at the best of times and I'm not sure I want to go back to that environment right now.

 

[William of Walworth]

I'd be interested to know how East Street Market (SE17) will be getting on ...

It was always very much a local market in my day, not at all tourist!

 

[T & P]

I think Londoners have now abandoned any notion of essential travel only. In my way home this evening from Chelsea to Tulse Hill the roads were at full pre-lockdown levels. And on streets running parallel to parks and commons there's actually more pedestrians about than there were before lockdown on a typical weekday. But then again given that we've only recently been granted unlimited leave to be out and about after several miserable weeks, and that a great many people must be furloughed or out of work, that's no surprising.

However I had to go to Mayfair at lunchtime and the streets there remain at zombie apocalypse level of emptiness.

 

[Ms T]

No one really on the tube either this morning at 9am or at 8pm tonight.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Traffic wardens are back at worth in Lambeth.

I agree, they’re worth every penny...bless ‘em

 

[quimcunx]

No one really on the tube either this morning at 9am or at 8pm tonight.

Has that been typical of the last few weeks?

I heard something about avoiding busy times that I didnt quite catch but they seemed to be earlier than standard rush hours eg avoid 6.30am to 7.30am. Either people avoiding rush hour or the people who cant wfh so happen to travel at those times.

 

[marty21]

I haven't got any public transport since a bus on March 23rd , I'd get on a bus if I have to , but still don't fancy getting on a tube or train.

 

[quimcunx]

I haven't got any public transport since a bus on March 23rd , I'd get on a bus if I have to , but still don't fancy getting on a tube or train.

A lot of buses are empty but some have lots on them. Depends on time and destination maybe. I'd maybe get on an empty one at a push.

 

[Spymaster]

I went for a walk round the newly re-opened Camden Market earlier although open is a bit of an over statement. Most of the table top stalls at the top of the market by the lock were open but there wasn't anyone buying anything as far as I could tell. A few of the food stalls had opened, and a few more looked like they were preparing to restart trading and there were some people sat at the tables having a coffee or something, but not many and mostly Camden type people and local workers not visitors. I guess because the tables are communal then it creates a kind of loophole so once word gets round the food and drink places might do alright given they're about the only places in London you can sit at a table and have a snack or drink - no bars open though, although it was only 1pm.

Inside the market was deserted, the traders haven't come back and neither have the punters. I doubt more than one in twenty units were open and quite a few looked like they'd been stripped of stock and fittings and have probably closed down already. I think the legality of them opening might be a bit questionable giving lots of the units on the market are basically small shops but the odd one was trading, as was one of the tourist tat shops on the High Street. The indoor parts of the market were all still closed and fenced off. Was quite weird walking round the deserted passageways that would usually be rammed with people.

It's hard to see how it can survive on the scale it once was. Ironically Camden could do with a decent market, there's a lot of social housing round there and not that much infrastructure for non tourists. It wouldn't surprise me if temporarily at least it becomes more geared to the local community, I hope so, although probably more like Portobello Road with no doubt a load of foodie shit for the residents of the newly built posh flats and the antique shops surviving. It also wouldn't surprise me to see big brands take over the High Street, it was happening already and there's probably quite a few will be happy to withstand a couple of lean years in order to get a foothold on Camden High Street. That depends though on whether London will be able to support another high end hyper-gentrified retail zone, which doesn't seem as guaranteed as it once was. I guess it's daft to make predictions except that Camden, along with other central London districts, are going to look very different in a couple of years. In the meantime if you've ever fancied running a stall on Camden Market I reckon the rents are going to be pretty cheap for a while.

Nice write-up. I've been dipping in and out of The Lock whilst walking the dog for the last couple of months. We ventured above water level a couple of times last week but it was all closed.

Are you local smokedout ? I've been Camden/Primrose/Kuntish, for 25 years.

Fancy a socially distanced beer?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I heard something about avoiding busy times that I didnt quite catch but they seemed to be earlier than standard rush hours eg avoid 6.30am to 7.30am. Either people avoiding rush hour or the people who cant wfh so happen to travel at those times.

think part of this was the initial stage of reducing tube and bus services (in part because a proportion of underground / bus staff were off sick / self isolating / shielding) was just to run saturday service every day, which requires less train drivers, but the service frequency doesn't really build up until after 9 am.

i think they did even it out a bit after the first few weeks so that it was reduced frequency all day, but better than saturdays in the morning peak. sorting this out (in particular constructing a complete new driver schedule) takes a bit of time...