Coronavirus travel restrictions have affected an Islington virtual reality booth that offered trips to Scotland without leaving the North London area.
Teleport, which inhabits a former telephone box on the High Street, has been shut since the 6 March. A note on the booth reads that it is “temporary [sic] closed,” and advises readers to wash their hands.
The news comes as Islington supermarkets have been impacted by panic buying while Exmouth Market has seen a decline in customers.
Teleport Closes
One of the founders of Teleport, Jonathan Foo, told Islington Now that the decision was made in order to “prevent the possibility of the virus spreading via our booth.”
“We’re hoping to reopen the booth as soon as possible. However, the situation doesn’t look very promising at the moment.”
The closure of the booth comes as Teleport plans to expand its presence in London. A new site is expected to open at The Royal Exchange later this year.
Coronavirus meets Virtual Reality
Teleport was established earlier this year by Foo and his partner Rachel Lee, with a mission to “make innovative technology such as VR accessible to all, not only to those who can afford it.”
The booth is free, and allows customers to don a headset in order to experience footage of a variety of destinations in Fife, including the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral and the Forth Bridge.
Teleport is located at 118 Upper Street, outside the Islington Square shopping complex.
