Goldman Sachs is rolling back its return to office plans following the UK-wide lockdown set to hit the country on 5 November, telling its 6,000 staff in the City that only “essential” employees need to come in.

The US banking giant had around 30% of its UK employees back to the office even in the wake of higher restrictions unveiled by prime minister Boris Johnson in September, but the renewed lockdown, which will last until 2 December, has prompted Goldman to unwind its programme to ramp up London numbers.