Recovery: Young Londoners lead the charge back to centre of the capital
Increasing numbers of Londoners are ready to return to the centre of the capital as optimism about the city’s future grows.
Some 70 per cent of 16-34 year olds now feel comfortable visiting the centre of town, as do 62 per cent of Londoners as a whole.
That’s a 10 point increase on the figure in September 2020, according to the survey conducted by the Centre for London think tank.
Read more: Number of Tube journeys rises again as reopening continues
Confidence has also increased about the capital’s economic rebound, with Londoners feeling more optimistic about their job prospects than at any other point in the last year.
Public transport usage has been creeping up over recent weeks, with spikes after the last two re-openings and Wembley’s hosting of England’s Euro 2020 games providing a welcome boost.
The think-tank’s boss Nick Bowes said the numbers were encouraging but that the recovery remains “fragile.”
“The Mayor and the government still have much to do to support the city to safely live with the virus and encourage more people back into central London.”
Despite a generally upbeat picture, the survey did also reveal the pandemic’s unequal effect on the capital.
Some two-thirds of renters, it found, would be unable to meet an unexpected expense of £500 from their own pocket.
And four in ten reported a drop in their disposable income during the pandemic, with women, the self-employed and BAME Londoners feeling most of the pain.