The sun's out, it looks like a pretty idyllic summer. There are people spilling

there are people spilling out of restaurants sat on little tables.

There's a cue for ice cream stretching around the corner.

But looking around, what's really surprising is some of the big businesses that haven't reopened.

So just on the corner there's a restaurant.

Used to be really busy and now it's bordered up.

A few doors down.

The lights are out, chairs are stacked up on the tables, sign in the window saying

due to COVID will be closed for the foreseeable.

We know that the chain has already lost 200 jobs across the country.

And looking across the road there's a Pizza Express, but we know they've lost a thousand of their staff nationally.

There's a boots which looks quite busy.

They've had to lose 4,000 people across the country.

It looks like a perfect summer's afternoon,

but scratched under the surface.

Britain is in recession.

Will all of these businesses reopen?

And will the people who are on furlow schemes will they have

jobs to come back to and the moment the furlow scheme finishes that could be much

much worse.

You're listening to stories of our times,

from the Times and the Sunday Times.

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