Letter to the PM - clarity needed before 19th July

Letter sent to the Prime Minister by 50+ London First members on 2^nd July 2021.

Dear Prime Minister,

The outstanding success of the UK’s vaccination programme and its impact on Covid-19 is encouraging for businesses as they look towards the future. It is now critical that the Government gives clear direction on the return to the office, for employers, employees and all the businesses that are counting the days until our city centres begin to buzz again.

Businesses need to know what the end of lockdown restrictions will mean in practice before 19^th July. For many months now, employers and employees have dealt with often complex – sometimes mixed – messages tending towards caution where the advice has not been clear cut. At this critical moment, we believe that it is essential that the Government is unambiguous in its communications that when the stage four restrictions lift, public transport is safe, offices are safe, and work-from-home is no longer the default. Employers can then move forward with plans for new ways of working, considering the needs of their staff, clients, and customers.

Our economic recovery will only succeed if the Government commits to reviving our city centres. A clear plan of action will help cities accelerate the UK’s economic revival, while addressing levelling up challenges. In London, we need: Government support for the promotional push to attract commuters and holidaymakers back to the capital; funding to keep our public transport network operating at full strength; and a reskilling programme to get Londoners into work. Concerted action now will reap significant benefits for the whole of the UK.

This is the moment to be unequivocal and set the country clearly on a path to recovery.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Stylianou, Chairman, Gowling WLG
Anthony Yazbeck, President & COO, International, WeWork
Basil Scarsella, Chief Executive Officer, UK Power Networks
Brendan Kerr, Executive Chairman, Keltbray
Byron Crellin, Managing Director, DebtSquared
Caroline Artis, London Senior Partner and Market Leader, Ernst & Young LLP
Chris Rumfitt, Founder & Chief Executive, Field Consulting
Colette O’Shea, Chief Operating Officer, Landsec
Daniel Hajjar, Managing Principal, London, HOK
Darrell Mercer, Group Chief Executive, A2Dominion Group
Debbie Akehurst, Chief Executive Officer, Midtown
Des Gunewardena, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer D&D London
Dominic Booth, Managing Director, Abellio Group
Dyan Crowther, Chief Executive Officer, HS1
Geeta Nanda, Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing
Gerald Kaye, Chief Executive Officer, Helical plc
Helen Gordon, Chief Executive Officer, Grainger
Inderneel Singh, Managing Director, Edwardian Hotels London
Jace Tyrrell, Chief Executive Officer, New West End Company
James Raynor, Chief Executive Officer, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland
Jeremy Rees, Chief Executive Officer, ExCeL London
John Dickie, Chief Executive Officer, London First
John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive Officer, Heathrow
Jon Di-Stefano, Chief Executive Officer, Telford Homes
Jon Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of Capita plc
Kate Davies FRICS, Chief Executive Officer, Notting Hill Genesis
Lisa Mayhew, Co-Chair of the Firm, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP — London, UK
Mark Cowlard, UK Chief Executive Officer, Arcadis
Mark Kildea, Chief Executive Officer, The Howard de Walden Estate
Mark Naysmith (Dr.Eng), Chief Executive Officer for the UK & MEIA Region, WSP
Mark Reynolds, Group Chief Executive, Mace
Matthew Gregory, Chief Executive Officer, FirstGroup
Michael Payton QC (Hon), Chairman, Clyde & Co LLP
Oliver Fenn-Smith, Chief Executive Officer, The Portman Estate
Paul Drechsler, Chairman, International Chamber of Commerce
Paul Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Derwent London
Peter Hogg, London City Executive and UK Cities Director, Partner at Arcadis London
Philip Jansen, Chief Executive Officer, BT Group
Professor Amanda Broderick, Vice Chancellor and President, University of East London
Professor Judy Raper, Dean and Chief Executive of TEDI-London
Professor Lynn Dobbs, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, London Metropolitan
University
Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University
Professor Sir Paul Curran, President, City, University of London
Robin Mills, Managing Director, Compass Group UK and Ireland
Ros Goode, Principal and Regional Managing Director London
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the Heart of London Business Alliance
Sean Collins, Chief Executive Officer, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers
Simon Carter, Chief Executive Officer, British Land
Simon Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Battersea Power Station Development Company
Simon Pitkeathley, Chief Executive Officer of Camden Town Unlimited
Sir George Iacobescu, Executive Chairman, Canary Wharf
Stephanie Hyde, Chief Executive Officer, JLL U.K
Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, Gatwick Airport
Toby Courtauld, Chief Executive Officer, Great Portland Estates plc
Turancan Salur, General Manager, Getir UK
Virginia Clegg, Senior Partner, DAC Beachcroft