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London...Big Ben...silenced until 2021

tiger-91

By tiger-91,
in British Isles/Western Europe

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Cotswold Eagle

Cotswold Eagle

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The bottom of the Elizabeth Tower is already covered in scaffolding, so it's going to ruin the most popular tourist photo/selfie site too.

 

Bright side, it might be easier to walk to Westminster tube without tourists taking those pictures blocking the pavement...

 

 

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easyboy

easyboy

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The bottom of the Elizabeth Tower is already covered in scaffolding, so it's going to ruin the most popular tourist photo/selfie site too.

 

Bright side, it might be easier to walk to Westminster tube without tourists taking those pictures blocking the pavement...

 

 

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Too bad for my grandsons' selfie plan when I bring them next month for the first time. Just have to contend with the obstructions.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

 

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Isklaar

Isklaar

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As an expat living in and loving the UK for many years now, I can't imagine 4 years without the sound of Big Ben. I was even more concerned when I heard that the 'bongs' may not sound the same after this work is completed. Good on Radio 4!

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Got2Cruise "Live from...." Rare

Got2Cruise

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The bottom of the Elizabeth Tower is already covered in scaffolding, so it's going to ruin the most popular tourist photo/selfie site too.

 

Bright side, it might be easier to walk to Westminster tube without tourists taking those pictures blocking the pavement...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

17003a9b7883e239f16519a51c4fab83.jpg you mean like this? lol. From July 2017. I would have been devastated not to hear it.

 

 

 

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dsrdsrdsr

dsrdsrdsr

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It seems the plan was put through by some terrified safety obsessive and is very little to do with the renovations, it's only the fear that the sound of bells will deafen the employees. There have been suggestions (which were outside the imagination of said jobsworth) that the bells can ring at night, and perhaps at noon (when the employees know it's coming) as a compromise.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Host Bonjour Holiday Sharing Rare

Host Bonjour

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It was mentioned/suggested the bell will ring on special occasions such as New Year or Christmas or maybe if Prince Harry marries? Noon or Miidnight, not on its regular cycle - not sure if this is confirmed though. Imagine no one working on those days and so no risk of the ear-bong effect :eek: Wow wouldn't Westminster be crowded on those occasions, way onto the bridge?

 

The Palace of Westminster still AMAZING sans ringing Big Ben or scaffolded Elizabeth Tower, countless cities & landmarks undergo renos or even lose landmarks...it's the visit that matters. The iconic view from across the Thames, especially at sunset - there's something about that silhouette that is breathtaking and with its many spires points to every corner of the world saying here is London. Keep going for photos, but maybe from a different aspect/point of view. Too many proclamations anyway with "it's just a bell?!" Nah, it's way more. ;)

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Host Bonjour Holiday Sharing Rare

Host Bonjour

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Lol. Yes thanks for noticing. That's the weird angle. Won't win any prizes

 

 

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Not weird, great shot! Always go for the unexpected angle, it catches more eyes than the ordinary types! I tilt lots of my shots on purpose just for a different effect so they don't look like everyone else's travel shots. Helps keep it interesting ;) (and some might win prizes, you never know!) :D

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SteveH2508

SteveH2508

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Not weird, great shot! Always go for the unexpected angle, it catches more eyes than the ordinary types! I tilt lots of my shots on purpose just for a different effect so they don't look like everyone else's travel shots. Helps keep it interesting ;) (and some might win prizes, you never know!) :D

 

I thought you might have just staggered out of St Stephen's Tavern opposite! A lovely pub (one of my top two or three pubs in London). It even has a division bell that is supposed to ring when there is a vote in the Commons to summon MPs back to the chamber!

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Got2Cruise "Live from...." Rare

Got2Cruise

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It's a decent pub, but can get hellish busy. I'm more a Red Lion or Westminster Arms man (both of which also have Division Bells) - but then the St Stephen's wasn't there when I started work in the area in the 1990s!

 

 

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We went to Red Lion after our walk. Our acquaintance who is Metro Police at Parliament recommended it. First time in our lives we had pies! But not out last. lol. We do look bleary eyed because we didn't rest at all after our overnight from JFK. Dropped our luggage at hotel and walked to Big Ben.

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Cotswold Eagle

Cotswold Eagle

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We went to Red Lion after our walk. Our acquaintance who is Metro Police at Parliament recommended it. First time in our lives we had pies! But not out last. lol. We do look bleary eyed because we didn't rest at all after our overnight from JFK. Dropped our luggage at hotel and walked to Big Ben.

 

 

 

Good effort. I hope you washed your pies down with a couple of pints of London Pride or ESB - well known for jet lag cures [emoji6]Proper London beer from Fuller's, not that Dorset-based Badger stuff you'll get at St Stephen's Tavern.

 

Only joking - it's well worth trying, perhaps fish and chips with a Tanglefoot ale. The decor is a strong selling point too.

 

Where are you staying?

 

[by the by, Met or Metropolitan for the police in London - never Metro, other than in radio callsigns.]

 

 

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4x4bob

4x4bob

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Ah, this news is a real bummer for me. In Sept this year we will be visiting London after many years of thinking about it. Big Ben was always high on my list of things to take a photo of and I wanted to hear the sound it made.

So, as other have done I will try to avoid the scafaling in any photos that I take.

Bob

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skisteamboat

skisteamboat

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Good effort. I hope you washed your pies down with a couple of pints of London Pride or ESB - well known for jet lag cures [emoji6]Proper London beer from Fuller's, not that Dorset-based Badger stuff you'll get at St Stephen's Tavern.

 

Only joking - it's well worth trying, perhaps fish and chips with a Tanglefoot ale. The decor is a strong selling point too.

 

I've been playing tour guide for various family members and friends the last few trips and we always stopped at the Red Lion after the obligatory tour around Parliament Square. Unanimous approval by all visitors, especially for London Pride.

 

Cheers

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  • 4 weeks later...
jsmeeker

jsmeeker

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The bottom of the Elizabeth Tower is already covered in scaffolding, so it's going to ruin the most popular tourist photo/selfie site too.

 

Bright side, it might be easier to walk to Westminster tube without tourists taking those pictures blocking the pavement...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

ha.. No such luck two weeks ago. Area was totally rammed like one would expect. I got my selfie in. With scaffold. But that's fine. It wasn't my first visit to London.

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