[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

There is a major change in the way we do things happening right now. The coronavirus emergency measures have expedited this process as people have embraced working at home and online shopping.

What will replace the offices and shops is the big debate. I think shopping centres will be replaced by leisure facilities, more estate agents, travel shops and fast food outlets, restaurants, bars, craft places, tech showcase and retail shops, mobile phone shops and gift shops. Bakeries, butchers, sweet shops, etc may make a comeback on the high street. The bigger supermarkets will continue to gravitate to out-of town facilities, leaving the smaller 'express' services in town centres and in housing estates.

As for those office blocks - I guess that really does depend on whether company bosses want to revert back to their previous way of working. They must see that they can reduce their overheads if working from home became the norm.

What the emergency measures have drawn attention to are the possibilities for the future. The question really is, do people like what they see?

... and that would have to be after the mess described in post #388 above has been resolved.