So the initial figures released by ONS of total population in Greater London by borough via the 2021 Census during the COVID lockdown on-line, may well suggest that Central London is hollowing out. While people are are moving Eastwards as the infrastructure continues to improve in the East London corridor promoted by GLA strategically. Can this be true? 

The initial figures suggest that Central London boroughs like Camden, Westminster & Kensington & Chelsea populations have come down by 4.6%,6.9% and 9.6% respectively. While at the other end, the population of Londoners has increased by around 20% in Tower Hamlets and Barking & Dagenham incredibly over the past decade, stands to reason given the major works undertaken there since the recreation of the GLA. Putting these two things together, some have suggested on twitter that Londoners are moving out of Central London and heading East, but l for one don’t see any evidence of this at all. Rather its newer Londoners going to cheaper bits of London for housing. Like the Bangladeshis, a subject for separate blog once those figures are released. 

It’s more likely that that Census 2021 held in March of 2021, had been influenced more so by the COVID lockdown than is acknowledge yet. Whilst my part of Central London felt very full, it was apparent that those with second homes in the countryside had left for rather than stay in town.  So l would be keen to see the ward breakdowns of these figures, as the wealthy wards would have had a lot more residents with second homes and also the plush developments largely lying empty, as well. Such a bias should be quite easily identifiable. 

It is critically important, we get these figures right, as it could have major implications for future funding of the respective councils where the populations has evidently gone down! So let us establish the extent that people left London during COVID lockdown by ward breakdowns and even tally it against what records of people having second homes across the country from Central London.