The lifeblood is being drained out of our cities

AS A London cabbie, I have watched the great metropolis grow over the past 30 years. I have seen rundown areas become fashionable places to live and work and been amazed at how great skyscrapers have filled the skyline. Now, in the space of a few months, I have been witness to the lifeblood being drained out of our capital, which relies so heavily on the business sector. With no office workers, London will die very quickly. Buildings will be left empty, shops and service industries will no longer be needed, construction work will cease, the transport system will collapse and hotels and restaurants will close. There is very little time to save this great city. Since March 15, I have attempted to ply for hire on just two occasions. On neither day did I manage to get a single fare.

Name and address supplied.

I AGREE home-working must be minimised. i have had to deal with many companies whose employees have been working from home to provide an assortment of goods and services. they have blamed delays in filling orders and errors on Covid. Back to the office, please!

MIKE BARNES, Chester.

EMPLOYEES should have a say in deciding how they work. Why should the way we did business six months ago be seen as the only possible economic model? There might be better ways of doing things and this could be the start of an economic revolution. We need support for flexible working.

R. HAVENHAND, Nantwich, Cheshire.

IF YOU are a dairy farmer, you milk your cows twice a day, 365 days a year. there is no choice — it must be done. if you work, like me, in agriculture, you are helping to feed the nation. the furlough scheme has been far too generous and should have been curtailed before children return to school this week rather than be extended to October. We were not prepared for the pandemic and we are not prepared for a recession. We have empty cities with scores of coffee bars and sandwich shops on life support. the damage to the High street has been made worse by shoppers flocking to Amazon and other online retailers. We have to get back to work to make what we need and invest in our communities. there is no time to waste.

JERRY SCOTT, Middlewich, Cheshire.