London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Londoners outperformed the rest of Britain at social distancing

Londoners outperformed the rest of Britain at social distancing

Anonymous mobile phone movement data collected by Google revealed that as the rest of the country was opening up after months of draconian lockdown measures, Londoners remained cautious.

London was better at following social distancing rules than the rest of Britain during the sweltering summer months, new data has revealed.

Anonymous mobile phone movement data collected by Google revealed that as the rest of the country was opening up after months of draconian lockdown measures, Londoners remained cautious.

While revellers flocked to bars, restaurants, non-essential shops and offices in the rest of the UK between July and early September, Londoners instead opted to stay inside or take advantage of socially-distanced outdoor spaces, the figures suggest.

The difference may account for London's comparatively lower coronavirus hospitalisation numbers - and its already-ebbing second wave stats.

In the summer months, visits to newly-reopened venues were between 50 and 30 per cent less popular than they were before lockdown in London.

The rest of the UK were between 40 and 10 per cent less busy, analysis by the Daily Telegraph has found.


London saw a 27 per cent drop in the number of people visiting retail and recreation facilities compared to pre-lockdown figures between September and November


North Yorkshire also saw an increase of 2 per cent on pre-lockdown numbers between September and November


Revellers descended on to Broad Street in Birmingham wearing Halloween fancy dress last month


The contrast is likely down to lifestyle differences in London - with the capital seeing different patterns in working and commuting which make adhering to social distancing less difficult.

This data corroborates similar figures released in September which showed a 69 per cent drop in the number of people visiting non-essential shops in London - compared to northern cities where the dip was much smaller.

Less than 150 people per 100,000 are hospitalised with coronavirus in London.

In the North-West and Yorkshire and the Humber, the figure stands at around 400 per 100,000 - however many factors may play into these differences.


A further 413 people have died after testing positive for the virus, official figures released yesterday revealed, bringing the UK's total death toll during the pandemic to 48,888


The UK confirmed a further 24,957 positive Covid tests, up just 13.9 per cent on last week's total, yesterday




Policy and strategy analytics academic at Loughborough University said: 'London is a young city.

'Many Londoners may be able to work from home, decreasing mobility and risk.

'Some Londoners do not have that privilege, being key workers who cannot avoid the use of public transport, increasing their risk.'

However he warned that intensive care figures remain high in the capital.

And the trends follow through between September and November.

While London saw a 27 per cent drop in the number of people visiting retail and recreation facilities compared to pre-lockdown figures - Cornwall saw an increase in footfall of 14 per cent.

North Yorkshire also saw an increase of 2 per cent on pre-lockdown numbers.

The West Midlands - which includes major cities such as Birmingham - saw a drop of just 12 per cent in the same category.


While London saw a 27 per cent drop in the number of people visiting retail and recreation facilities compared to pre-lockdown figures - Cornwall saw an increase in footfall of 14 per cent between September and November


The West Midlands - which includes major cities such as Birmingham - saw a drop of just 12 per cent in the same category between September and November


Earlier this week, it was revealed that London's second wave of coronavirus had already started to slow down before the national lockdown forced workers to stay at home and high street shops to pull down the shutters.

More than half of the capital's 32 boroughs - including the three hotspots of Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Kingston upon Thames - saw infections fall in the week ending October 30.

The city's overall infection rate also declined from 152 to 146 cases per 100,000 people over the same period, according to weekly data from Public Health England.

The stark figures raise questions over whether London and its nine million residents could have been spared a second lockdown, had over-zealous officials kept their fingers off the panic button for another more week.

Officials possess only two weeks of accurate infection data from when the city's Tier Two restrictions - banning households mixing indoors - were imposed.

But experts say it can take at least three weeks before it becomes clear whether the restrictions have driven down the rise in infections.

Liverpool, Lancashire and Manchester - all previously under the toughest Tier Three curbs - also saw sharp falls in infection rates, sparking suggestions the Government's knee-jerk reaction came too soon and should have been delayed. Boris Johnson even admitted yesterday that the Tiers were working before the crunch vote.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said 'thanks to the efforts of Londoners we are seeing initial signs that the increase in infections across the capital has started to slow down' but he warned cases still remained high and the number of patients in hospital continues to rise. Data shows there are currently only 990 people in hospital with Covid-19 in London, miles away from the almost 5,000 infected patients on wards at the peak of the first wave.

Conservative London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey said Mr Khan must now 'stop demanding more restrictions', warning Londoners 'won't forgive him if their favourite restaurants and businesses fail to make it through the restrictions he shouted so loudly for'.

The mayor was slammed for his over-zealous decision to push the city into Tier Two, while other regional authorities fought with the Government to negotiate concessions.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×