Empty city centres are a crisis for cafés—and also an opportunity
How Britain’s lunch purveyors are rewriting the rules of their business
BEFORE THE pandemic, reporters at The Economist’s London office had a wealth of venues from which to get lunch. Within a five-minute walk there were two burger chains (McDonald’s and Five Guys); two fast-casual outfits with the names of Frenchmen (Leon and Paul); three sushi suppliers (Wasabi, Itsu and another Itsu); and four sandwich shops (Pret, Pret, Pret and Pret).
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Getting out of a pickle”
Britain September 12th 2020
- Brexit negotiations hit a formidable new barrier
- Covid-19 and the end of commuterland
- Empty city centres are a crisis for cafés—and also an opportunity
- A rush of new teachers will help England’s short-handed schools
- Extinction Rebellion shows how not to run a protest group
- Britain’s treasure-hunting hobbyists get professional
- The modern Tory party’s uncompromising nature has deep historical roots
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