The capital is stirring. Offices are more than half full for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic last March. Soon, those hot-desking may no longer even be guaranteed their favourite spot by the window and as far from the microwaves as possible.
Yet, a return to London as usual will not happen by default. The return of gloriously non-essential shopping, new exhibitions and soon indoor dining will draw residents back to the centre, but neither the Mayor nor central government can afford to sit back and wait.
Ministers will need to take the public on a journey. What will not work is a hastily arranged press conference on June 19 announcing that everything is reopening on Monday.
The Government will need to first convince the public that travelling on public transport is safe. It should explain —if the one-metre plus rule is abolished — why the science supports this.
It must continue to come down hard with surge testing on variants of concern and in particular the Indian mutation, which has seen infections rise in Bolton over recent days.
People will return to the centre not out of an altruistic desire to prop up Zone 1 commercial real estate, but because Soho is a great spot to grab a drink, Oxford Street the place to go shopping and every other corner an Instagrammable moment.
But it will still require nimble government and proactive communications, as well as continued focus on bringing infections down through vaccinations.
