London is quieter than usual this week in spite of the Olympics, with many commuters staying at home or fleeing the country while the Games take place. That’s a good thing for the transport system – clearly Justine Greening and Francis Maude’s ‘remoding’ advice had its desired effect – but retailers and tourist attractions are reporting a lower-than-usual footfall as a result.
The Financial Times reports that the 100,000 Olympic visitors lags behind the 300,000 typically expected in the capital, with the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions pointing to a drop of up to 35 per cent in tourists.
Ministers will be hoping the ghost town effect won’t impact negatively on this quarter’s GDP figures, which the government expects to lift, taking Britain out of recession, as a result of the Olympics. But even that lift will be temporary: yesterday economists warned of a triple dip recession in the spring.
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