The Bank of England was asked to consider moving the gold bars out of its vaults so that space could be rented to a pub, during its first hearing before a parliament spending watchdog. Members of parliament’s Public Accounts Committee had seized on a report by government auditors, which criticized the BoE for having more than 800 empty desks at its historic Threadneedle Street home in London’s main financial district. “If you’re making it easier for staff to work ... at home, would there be any thought to renting out aspects of Threadneedle? Would we see a Wetherspoon’s?” committee chair Meg Hillier asked, referring ... (full story)