CBI chief warns of ‘ghost towns’ as UK workers stay away from offices

Carolyn Fairbairn urges the government to build confidence for firms and employees

Carolyn Fairbairn is director-general of the Confederation of British Industry
Carolyn Fairbairn urges the government to build confidence for firms and employees
(Image credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director-general Carolyn Fairbairn has urged Boris Johnson to work with businesses and bring the UK’s offices “back to life”.

Warning that commercial centres could become “ghost towns”, the Daily Mail reports that Fairbairn is calling on the prime minister and his government to build confidence so workers feel safe returning to their desks.

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Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.