We’re going down the pub: Oxford data shows massive leap in movement as UK hits the town in July

Dr Matthias Qian says, ‘Recent measures to ease further the national lockdown, including the re-opening of pubs and additional retail stores, have increased destination choices for consumers. And with the growing number of the choices, people did go to more and farther places, as our impact monitor reveals.’

Scenes of crowded streets and pubs were beamed around the world and 4 July was dubbed ‘Super Saturday’ as the country as a whole went on the town...with the biggest weekly increase since the beginning of the pandemic

Scenes of crowded streets and pubs were beamed around the world and 4 July was dubbed ‘Super Saturday’ as the country as a whole went on the town, with movement across the UK increasing that weekend by just over a quarter – the biggest weekly increase since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Oxford Monitor shows that, as of 11 July, with the pubs and restaurants allowed to reopen, movement in London increased to 46% of pre-lockdown levels - compared to June, when movement was recorded at around 27% of pre-lockdown levels.

In the South West and the North East, over the last fortnight, there have been boosts of more than 70% to Saturday movement figures compared to June. Movement in the two regions is now recorded respectively at 62% and 60% of pre-lockdown rates, compared to 36% and 34% in June. Wales, though, has seen an increase over the fortnight of more than 100%, with pre-lockdown levels of movement on 27 June of 24% transforming to 51% last Saturday. Meanwhile, in Scotland, movement over the two Saturdays has increased by 88%.

Last Friday, 10 July, has been the busiest day of the lockdown so far, with the UK as a whole recording 68% of pre-lockdown movement and the South West and North East recording movement levels in excess of 70%. And London was back to 51% of pre-lockdown movement.

Dr Adam Saunders comments, ‘Comparatively lower levels of movement in London are likely to be the result of reservations that people continue to have over the use of public transport, which is obviously a key mode of travel across the city.

‘Nevertheless, increasing levels of movement overall across the UK highlight the importance of preventative public health measures such as the wearing of masks as people begin to return to their pre-lockdown daily routines, which include increased travel and inevitably interactions with others.’

Increasing levels of movement across the UK highlight the importance of preventative public health measures such as the wearing of masks as people begin to return to their pre-lockdown daily routines, which include increased travel and inevitably interactions with others

Only in Leicester, where lockdown rules have been tightened did the movement figures reduce. In the city centre, movement decreased by more than 40% over the two weekends, with just 16% of pre-lockdown levels recorded on 11 July.

Dr Matthias Qian concludes, ‘A clear and increasing gap is opening up between Leicester and the rest of the country, suggesting the local lockdown is working. The good compliance with government guidelines makes me hopeful that we may limit the negative consequences of the second wave.’