It's Sunday morning again. So before you switch on coverage of the Test Match, get stuck into some late summer gardening, or chauffeur the kids to football or netball practice, it's time to warm up those "little grey cells" with five quick-fire questions....

Questions:

1. Research by Knight Frank has found that sustainable London office buildings really do command a substantial rental premium. The study looked at how rental performance is impacted by BREEAM certification, widely considered to be the most established global sustainability assessment method for buildings. According to the analysis, which used rental data from Q1 2010 to Q1 2021 across 2,700 London assets, buildings that secured a high-end BREEAM rating of either “Very Good”, “Excellent” or “Outstanding” all delivered clear rental premiums . The highest BREEAM rating is “Outstanding”, which is achieved by less than 1% of assessed buildings. According to Knight Frank, what percentage rental premium will an “Outstanding” rated building command?

2. It might come as a surprise to hear that anyone looks back fondly at the periods of enforced lockdown, but according to a survey by King’s College London many of us will miss some aspects of a life closer to home. Elements we’ll apparently miss include freer schedules, table service at pubs, jogging bottoms and small groups. The “rule of six” might have been fiendishly confusing, but it appears people actually enjoyed meeting in smaller, more intimate settings. According to the study, what percentage of the UK public will miss some aspects of Covid lockdown rules?

3. Savills Retail Outlook report this week showed that the UK retail and leisure markets have benefited from a sharper than expected rebound in footfall and sales since April. This has been driven by significant pent-up demand to spend (following over 14 months of amplified household savings) and the prolonged periods of restrictions. According to Google data, mobility across retail and recreation locations has now improved to its highest post-pandemic average monthly level since the outset of the pandemic. What was the percentage difference in our mobility between the pre-Covid baseline and July 2021 for (a) the UK as a whole and (b) London?

4. The fourth Test match at the Oval is due to resume this morning with the India back in the ascendancy. It is just over 50 years since India won their first Test Match on English soil at the South London ground – after 19 previous failed attempts. The now infamous 1971 Test Match win was celebrated wildly back in India. When the team returned to India their flight was diverted to Delhi so the prime minister, Indira Gandhi, could congratulate them in person and approximately 1.5 million people lined the streets of Mumbai to welcome them home. The match is also remembered for a rather unusual spectator who was credited with giving the Indian team good luck. Can you name the four-legged visitor and explain why she acted as a lucky omen?

5. China has announced new rules restricting the activities of children. Which activity has China placed a daily time limit for Under-18s? Is it (a) private tutoring, (b) online gaming, (c) watching television or (d) playing contact sports?

Answers:

1. According to Knight Frank, a BREEAM “Very Good” rating results in a 3.7% rental premium on average, whilst a BREAAM “Excellent” results in a 4.7% rental premium. An “Outstanding” rating – which recognises the most innovative workplaces – results in a significant 12.3% premium.
2. According to research, 54% of the UK public will miss some aspects of the Covid lockdowns such as family time and quieter roads. Perhaps surprisingly, 19 per cent said the last year has been better than they expected it to be when the first lockdown was introduced, while 21 per cent said their finances have improved.
3. Mobility across retail and recreation locations was down just -12.8% in July 2021, compared to the pre-Covid baseline. By contrast, mobility in London remains subdued, averaging -30.6% compared to the pre-pandemic baseline. The lack of mobility in the capital is largely down to a lack of international tourism and the absence of office workers. Holiday hotspots, however, have benefited hugely from the rise in “staycations” with substantial increases on pre-pandemic figures. Nobody who has travelled south-west down the M5 recently will be surprised that Cornwall features high on that list!
4. On the last day of the 1971 Oval Test Match, Indian cricket fans borrowed Bella the elephant from Chessington Zoo and brought her to The Oval where she was warmly welcomed and paraded around the outfield. The Indian team saw her as a lucky omen as the day coincided with the festival of Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god.
5. China has placed restrictions on online gaming for Under-18s, restricting children to 3 hours a week. Children can only play for one hour a day outside of the school week (Fridays, weekends and the holidays). The move was in response to increasing concerns about children becoming addicted to games, which one Chinese media outlet branded as “spiritual opium”. There may be some parents reading this who wish the UK would impose similarly draconian restrictions on their offspring!

Enjoy your Sunday.