Workplaces in Watford were quieter immediately after Covid restrictions were lifted than they were before, data suggests.

The level of activity in local workplaces fell slightly after ‘Freedom Day’ on July 19, compared with the previous week.

Google uses location data from phones and other personal devices to track trends in people's movement in different parts of their daily lives.

It compares footfall in five areas outside of the home – retail and recreation, supermarkets and pharmacies, parks, public transport and workplaces – to a five week-baseline period recorded before the Covid-19 crisis.

In Watford, average activity in workplaces was 36 per cent below normal levels in the week commencing July 19.

This was down from 32 per cent below during the previous week, when the Government’s instruction at the time was to work from home where possible.

Across England, average workplace activity also fell slightly from 24 per cent below normal levels to 26 per cent under.

The lack of change nationally is unsurprising, said the Confederation of British Industry, which conducted a recent survey revealing fewer than one in 20 business leaders were considering returning staff to work entirely from the office.

The majority were thinking of bringing in hybrid models where employees would work from home and in the office, the survey commissioned by the University of Leeds found.

Maxine Bligh, director at the CBI, which represents businesses across the UK, said: “The pandemic has taught employers that, in general, people can do large parts of their job from home without any impact on productivity. There have also been benefits felt for employees in terms of health and wellbeing."

The data also shows that In Watford, activity in retail and recreation establishments was 18 per cent below normal levels – up from 22 per cent below the week below.

It was 40 per cent below the baseline on public transport – down from 36 per cent below the week before.