Sign o' the Times

It's always quiet in Australian cities for a few weeks over and following Christmas (when compared to Europe at least) because it is also the middle of our summer.

The office I work in (very occasionally these days) is above a food court and a 400 metre air conditioned arcade from the train station to the centre of North Sydney.  About half the shops in the arcade provide coffee and/or breakfast / lunch.  Well they used to anyway.

This year's a bit different to usual, of course.  This week, at least half the shops are either closed or gone.  Most of the food shops that are still in business are closed and all but one of the coffee shops closes after about 11am.

I'm not sure when the pictured shop mural closed but it used to sell food.  Not sure who paid for the mural but I'm guessing it was the "centre management" when they were feeling optimistic.  They've not given other closed shops the same treatment.

I attended a meeting today (online of course) titled "Feedback on our Hybrid Workplace moving forward".  Admittedly the company I work for was a little "progressive" pre-COVID as many of us were already working 2 or 3 days a week at home but it's definitely becoming the norm now for more companies and it's abundantly clear that many of the shops downstairs will not have the same owners when / if they reopen.

There'll be a renaissance.  Some people really like going to the office and all of us will be spending some time there.  I guess different teams will have different days rostered in the office - who knows?

Having a great view (extras of Rose Bay and "the coat hanger") certainly is an encouragement!