Post Desk : Desperate business leaders today accused Boris Johnson of ignoring a “clear and present danger” to shattered city centres after he predicted they would “bounce back” when the pandemic is over.

Struggling sectors from pubs and restaurants to theatres and travel said that there was a risk of great cities like London, Manchester and Birmingham being left hollowed out by the crisis.

From politicians, including former Tory Cabinet minister Justine Greening, there were warnings that city centres should not be “taken for granted”.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, called for a plan to repair all the great cities and warned: “Without this there is a real and present danger that London’s Central Activity Zone will be hollowed out and our economic and social capital diminished. London and our major cities will not simply bounce back.”

Mr Johnson has rejected pessimism and predicted: “I think that our great cities will bounce back along with the rest of the economy once we’ve got this roadmap delivered.”

It came as Mr Johnson said Cabinet minister Michael Gove would chair a review into the introduction of “vaccine passports” as part of plans for the phased reopening of society. The Standard has previously highlighted that the passports were set to be brought in despite a number of senior ministers dismissing the idea.

Asked about the passports today, Mr Johnson said “they are going to come on an international basis whatever”.

In key developments:

London restaurateurs spoke of their frustration at having to wait another three months to reopen their dining rooms, with some fearing a new round of failures because they were not able to secure support from banks to help tide them through.
Theatregoers were warned that many West End stages may not reopen until months after the May 17 date announced by the Prime Minister.
Wedding planners said some couples would be disappointed and would have to cancel their ceremonies because restrictions will not be fully lifted until June 21.
Matt Hancock said hugs will be allowed from May 17 – meaning grandparents can embrace their families again.
Britons scrambled to book breaks in the sun although a Government scientific adviser warned “the whole situation will be very uncertain for a long time”.
Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg suggested the Government had “flexibility” to speed up the easing of lockdown. But infections expert Professor Neil Ferguson said it was “a faint chance that we can accelerate the schedule”.
The Prime Minister was put on the spot about the future of city centres by the Evening Standard during last night’s press briefing at No10.

Mr Johnson said he thought the pandemic would “accelerate some trends” and “opportunities” to turn some office blocks into residential homes.

But he said his experience was that remote working generated demand for people to meet up in person and concluded: “I think that London, our great cities, will be filled, full of buzz and life and excitement again, provided people have confidence about coming back into those city centres. Then you’ll get all the agglomeration effects that make London such an amazing place and make our cities so amazing.”

There was less optimism from businesses on the frontline. Hospitality chief Ms Nicholls said: “The Government’s own roadmap… singles out hospitality and the centre of London as the hardest hit. Given that work from home, social distancing and continued curbs on foreign travel will continue for many, many months there is now an urgent need for a clear, long-term strategic plan for the urban recovery and renewal.”