The London terrorist attack of July 7th has resulted in a nervous anxiety cloacking the City and our business is now conducted to the soundtrack of sirens and the backdrop of hi-visibility jackets. Quite a swing in mood from the euphoria of London being awarded the Olympics the day before to the shock that Dickie hadn’t made it into work and was travelling from the Euston area, where two bombs were detonated.
Dickie, being the ‘disaster magnet’ he is, was on Warren Street when the Double Decker Bus was exploded and witnessed shards of the roof, and the number 30 on the bus catapult into the air. He wasn’t able to inform the office he was safe as all the mobile phone networks were down or jammed and it was an anxious morning in the Indigo office to say the very least. Everyone else managed to get into work okay but Bucklersbury House security was stepped up and a nervous air pervaded the day – most people couldn’t concentrate and in the end most left at lunch time to try to make it back home.
Our clients and suppliers have been most understanding, except may I add, for one persistent lady who couldn’t understand why there was a delay in getting her a quote for 14 black diamante G-strings embroidered with her own ‘personal design’:
Customer Services: I am sorry madam, we are short staffed today because of the current terrorist attacks, we will get your quote to you as soon as possible.
Lady who wants classy underwear: Well that’s a shame but I really need a quote now.
Customer Services:(Trying to stay calm) Of course madam, please hold a second…
In the end I left work at 5pm and walked back to Stepney (about an hour or so) as most of the underground network was still not running. The Indigo helpdesk has become rather full because we were short staffed at the end of the week so I have rolled up my sleeves to help out the Client Services Team and am responding quotes on a Saturday. Apologies if you have been waiting – we are working on it.
Londoners are trying to now go about their normal lives again. It was ironic that on Wednesday night (6th July) a friend and I were walking in Mile End and saw the blue circular plaque commemorating the first bomb of the ‘Blitz’ landing in London. The Blitz occurred 60 years ago – I wasn’t born – but the gritty resilience seen Robert Capa’s photography of East Enders hanging out washing amongst the rubble, can be seen on the faces of the modern day commuter. No flag waving patriotism here – move along now! – we have seen it all before.
Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost loved ones.