At least in Groundhog Day, Bill Murray was able to get into the centre of town to do his job. But as Londoners endure yet another rail strike by RMT members, the city is once again a virtual ghost town.
And today the Evening Standard can reveal the total cost of all strikes in the capital is set to hit nearly £2bn. That is the cumulative lost spending, as tourists and commuters alike stay away from the city.
These strikes are crushing for retail and hospitality sectors which rely on bumper Christmas trade to see them through the leaner times. They are also hitting the national economy, as British retailers suffer a drop in sales, despite Black Friday and Christmas shopping.
One only has to look around the City and West End, which would normally be overflowing with Christmas parties, to see the damage being wrought. One deserted pub near the Bank of England said all 196 bookings for lunch and dinner that day had been cancelled while a leading restaurateur said “it’s like Omicron all over again.”
Meanwhile, there are fears tourists will cancel plans to visit London over Christmas when faced with the prospect of immigration queues lasting longer than the flight itself.
TSSA and Unite union members have accepted Network Rail’s improved offer. That alone should be cause for Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, to call off the strikes. Lynch has this morning suggested that a deal could be reached in the coming weeks. That would be a welcome Christmas present for commuters and businesses alike.
Royals feel the pain
All families fight. Most, however, do so amid little press interest or multi-million-pound streaming service deals.
At some stage, the endless accusations thrown by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will cease. When they do, it can be hoped that the two brothers and the wider family can reunite. Of course, that is unlikely to happen imminently, in the wake of the Netflix documentary series and before Harry’s autobiography is published.
The Royal family were all smiles as they made a united front at a carol concert in Westminster Abbey yesterday, just hours after further accusations by Meghan and Harry were aired. But it must be painful for all sides.
The royals do many things at the same time, from performing constitutional duties to supporting charitable causes. The sovereign, meanwhile, appoints the Government, grants royal assent to bills and performs countless administrative tasks. But it is worth all sides remembering they are ultimately a family.
Hope for Simpson’s
At last, some good news. Simpson’s Tavern, the pub and City institution, could be saved.
As first revealed by the Londoner’s Diary, the 265-year-old tavern — having survived fires, wars and plagues — has done what it has always done: carried on and served sausages. But due to a dispute with the landlord over rent arrears relating to lockdown, it seemed like Simpson’s might be forced to shut permanently.
Now the chophouse looks set to be saved after the City of London moved to protect it as a community asset. Let’s raise a glass to that, and the next quarter of a millennium.
