Once lockdown measures are reduced and the population of the United Kingdom is allowed to reemerge from their homes, there are a number of differences that may still exist in the way we operate.

Some industries may just carry on from where they left off – such as the finance industry and businesses where remote working is not difficult. Whereas others, like leisure and hospitality face a major change in the day to day operations.

For instance; how does a restaurant operate in the months after lockdown? a 2m distance would be impossible to maintain without cutting down on the volumes of customers and staff – also with having to rethink the lay out of the restaurant itself. What about gyms – keeping 2m apart is going to be difficult in exercise classes and when using the general areas like locker rooms. Further the cinema and entertainment businesses may also have to operate in a different way.

House builders may face some uncertainty without assistance from the government as liquidity may not be available at the same level but existing plots may not yield as much value as expected due to the drop in market values.

Thriving industries

These are just some of the issues that may be faced, but in terms of industries which will thrive, where are these opportunities?

I think online payment businesses such as paypal, square, stripe etc will continue their upward trajectory due to more people shopping online. This will mean the same for the giants VISA and Mastercard. Online shopping giants like Amazon (obviously), Alibaba etc will continue to expand but others like Ocado and Just Eat and other food delivery services will also enjoy some growth.

Services like Netflix, Amazon Video and now Disney will be more popular and be joined by other technology manufacturers like Nvidia who make graphics cards and computers for gamers. Online gaming is likely to grow in popularity with e-gaming likely to attract more people than it did previously.

Healthcare suppliers are already seeing a huge boom – but with new regulations likely to come in on the back of this epidemic with new safety measures and more scrutiny, it is an area that is going to thrive in the coming years.

Above all, once restrictions are lifted – sporting events and concerts may look to a virtual audience to help bring their content to more people. Virtual reality may allow this to thrive and let people experience content from the comfort of their own home – with a hint of the same atmosphere.

Which businesses have seen a boom during this time which may see a decline after the lockdown? and which industries have dropped off but still have a viable proposition after lockdown finishes?