Mcb777 BetAerial images show empty car parks at huge firms including Aston Martin and Barclays as most Brits still work from home | The Sun - Machibet777 APP

AERIAL images show eerily empty car parks at some of Britain's biggest firms as the majority of Brits continue to work from home.

Aston Martin, energy giant E.On, Shell Energy and Barclays all appear deserted from the outside in the eye-opening photos taken this week.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Solihull Business Park was filled to a fraction of capacity this week as staff worked from homeCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

The Aston Martin building on Coventry's Gallagher Business Park was desertedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

The home of Barclay's in Coventry's Westwood Business Park was almost emptyCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

A handful of cars were parked at Shell Energy House on Coventry's Westwood Business Park on MondayCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

Last week PM Boris Johnson told a Cabinet meeting: "People are going back to the office in huge numbers across our country."

But pictures taken during 9-5 working hours on Monday and Tuesday this week reveal thousands of workers are ignoring his advice.

Business parks across the Midlands - home to some of the UK's biggest firms - have remained deathly quiet this week.

Aerial pictures at Solihull Business park, which is home to Immucor, LLamasoft Inc, EI Group and Barratt Homes, show hundreds of empty parking spaces.

DESERTED

Progress House, which is home to Cambridge Assessments on Coventry's Westwood Business Park, was also almost deserted.

Meanwhile just a handful of cars could be seen at E.On Energy's headquarters on the same business park.

Shell Energy House, which employs up to 5,000 workers, was also almost empty with a few cars parked outside the vast offices.

Offices also appeared empty at Aston Martin's HQ in Coventry's Gallagher Business Park.

The 1,000 employees usually have to battle to park on the site but stark pictures reveal most workers were not ready to return to the office.

In Nottingham, Infosys Ltd, the city's largest office which measures a staggering 23,000 square feet, remained almost empty.

The technology firm employs 300 staff at the Sherwood Business Park which remained deserted this week.

Workers at Conservative-controlled Nottinghamshire County Council are also being advised to stay at home while offices are made Covid secure.

A spokesperson said: "The thrust of the advice to workers is still to work from home."

Meanwhile, Whitehall chiefs have rebuked civil servants for not returning to their desks.

An urgent order was last week sent to 480,000 Westminster officials who were warned Boris Johnson would monitor weekly stats on the numbers returning to work.

Chiefs demanded that 80 per cent of staff in Westminster return for at least two days a week by the end of this month.

And departments that do not shape up face being named and shamed on their data.

But despite the pleas, Matt Hancock said he didn’t care if his civil servants were working home.

The Health Secretary said he was concerned how his civil servants “perform” in their jobs rather than whether or not they return to the office.

BACK TO WORK

A recent report from Cardiff University and the University of Southampton, said 88 per cent of employees who worked at home during lockdown would like to continue doing so in some capacity, with 47 per cent wanting to do so often or all the time.

But there are fears that thousands more jobs could be at stake if workers continue to shun the office.

The Government shelved its work from home message last month and has been pushing Brits to get back to work ever since.

Boris Johnson vowed at the start of September to do absolutely everything in his power to help get more workers back to their desks, saying he was "absolutely confident" Britain would bounce back.

The PM is now set to ban gatherings of more than six people in homes, pubs and restaurants from Monday - but will not enforce the new rules in the work place.

It means workers can still interact in large groups in the office, leaving no excuse for not going in.

Train companies have reported only a "slight increase" in passenger numbers this week, suggesting the majority of Brits are still working from home.

Most read in News

'VILE' GINO

Teacher who starred in hit Channel 4 show charged with string of sex offences

The most recent official figures from the Department for Transport for September 3, show a drop in passengers on national train services, London Underground and London bus services compared to last year.