Covid-19 saps soul from City of London
By Enrique Rubio
London, Oct 16 (efe-epa).- There are few experiences in modern life as lonely as rush hour in the crowded City of London, but the pandemic has slowed the pulse of the world’s financial heart and its busy streets are all but empty.
Nobody quite knows when the British capital will return to normal — if it ever does at all.
The restaurant Sweetings has served up oysters and fresh fish from its corner of the City for 131 years. It’s the oldest of its kind in London, according to the owners.
This storied seafood spot is fighting for survival. And it is not the only one in the Square Mile, where some of the world’s best business minds manage huge fortunes on a daily basis.
“It’s going to be very difficult for a few more months. We’ll have to stay strong and be as flexible as we possibly can and try to survive,” Sweetings manager George Stylianou tells Efe.
Having been forced to close for three months during the United Kingdom’s nationwide lockdown, Stylianou decided to open the doors to the public again on 16 September.
Bit by bit some of the regulars started to stop by again.
But now, less than a month later, London is facing a fresh raft of restrictions amid a second wave of Covid-19 in the UK, and the restaurant is braced for further financial damage.
CUSTOM DROPS
