In pictures: How lockdown emptied the world s most popular tourist destinations
From Buckingham Palace to Times Square, the world s top attractions have been left deserted during the pandemic
24 February 2021 • 10:35am
It’s hard to fathom that, just over a year ago, we would stand elbow-to-elbow with our fellow humans, without a second thought as to whether they might infect us with a highly contagious disease called Covid-19.
Every February, revellers would take to the streets in Venice, wearing masks for fun, rather than to prevent infection. In spring, thousands of marathon runners would trample the streets in London, while on Easter Sundays the Pope would address the masses in St Peter’s Square. Gathering was something we enjoyed doing, rather a lot.
Rents in the Capital could plunge and house prices fall amid a mass exodus of workers during the coronavirus pandemic, experts have predicted.
A sudden drop in the population of the UK last year has led to a huge rise in vacancy rates in the London and Midlands rental markets, according to analysis by Capital Economics.
Labour market data suggests there was a mass exodus from the UK as foreign workers returned home, leading to a drop in the population of around two per cent.
If sustained, the increase in vacancy could cause rents to drop by as much as 20 per cent, according to property experts.