Davis Langdon returns to Bahrain against Foreign Office advice

Davis Langdon has sent some of its staff back to Bahrain after flying them out to Dubai last week -  in the face of the advice from the Foreign Office not to do so.

It evacuated employees from the kingdom on Wednesday last week after troops used force to clear the capital Manama’s central square of protestors, reportedly leaving at least three protestors dead.

However, now some staff have gone back to Bahrain, including Donn O’Shaughnessy, head of the country’s office. It is thought that they returned over the weekend.

Since Tuesday 15 March, the Foreign Office has warned against all travel to the country. It has also been advising all British nationals to leave Bahrain unless they have a “pressing reason” to remain.

“We advise against all travel to Bahrain until further notice,” it reiterated today, and said that this was the highest possible alert against travelling to a country.

Consultant Hyder also said it had reopened its office in the country on Sunday, and had not evacuated any staff last week. Employees, which included some British nationals, were now working from the office rather than home, a spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Davis Langdon confirmed that all staff had left for Dubai on Wednesday but now some were back operating in the country.

Tensions in the country have remained high at funeral processions for protestors killed in demonstrations.

Atkins also evacuated its 170 staff from Bahrain on Wednesday, but said this morning that no one had returned to the country.