Minister visits Bankside firms to learn about COVID-19 impact

Accompanied by Better Bankside chief executive Nicole Gordon, Paul Scully from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy toured the area to meet local businesses, including Borough Market and its traders, The Rake, The Gentlemen Baristas on Park Street, Arts Academy London and The Fitting Rooms.

Better Bankside connected The Fitting Rooms with Bankside Open Spaces Trust, which allowed the gym, usually located on Southwark Street, to offer training sessions from Marlborough Sports Garden; and The Rake craft beer bar in Borough Market has been canning any chosen draft beer on site to allow for takeaway.

Footfall in Bankside has been around 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the normal level, but with Tate Modern due to open soon there are hopes of a boost.

As the area reopens, Better Bankside has introduced the Bankside Bike Train, a guided cycle ride to help those who are nervous about commuting to work on London's streets.