anyone queuing to see the coffin in London atm?

[DickDarstedly]

I am wondering how long the queue is and how the organisation is working out. Are there enough toilets? Is it true that the wristband allows you to leave and come back?

EDITED BY MNHQ Please find the link to the new thread www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4635946-anyone-queuing-to-see-the-coffin-in-london-atm-pt-2

The queue to see the Queen lying in state has been branded a "complete shambles" after thousands of people were allowed to enter the line after the Government said it was shut.

At 9.52am, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced on Twitter that entry had been paused for "at least six hours".

But the message seemingly never made it to the attendants at the gate, and people were able to file through in their thousands.
It wasn't until almost two hours later at 11.36am that the gate was actually closed. A couple who travelled from Manchester at 7.30am said the whole thing was a "complete shambles".

A crowd has now formed around the entrance in Southwark Park as people beg to be let in. There is also now a queue for the queue.

www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/09/16/queen-funeral-news-coffin-queue-lying-state-king-charles/

I thought it was supposed to be able to go 10 miles, though?

Naturally, it's been 'branded a complete shambles'. It's the law that any mass event in the UK must at some point by someone be 'branded a complete shambles'.

The queue to see the Queen lying in state has been branded a "complete shambles" after thousands of people were allowed to enter the line after the Government said it was shut.

My thought is that may have been a plan though, announce it’s shut but still allow those who were clearly already on their way/nearly there to enter the queue. Not everyone will be social media followers so they needed to allow time for the message to get out.

Ha true

There’s not much to write so we need this angle at some point

The point is folk have walked miles to get to this closed queue.
twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1570732388237320193

1:06pm
The queue has reopened
The entrance to Southwark Park has reopened despite a Government announcement that the queue has been paused.
The gates were originally shut as queue attendants sought to deter new arrivals.
But a second queue quickly began to form outside the park along Jamaica Road, leading attendants to reopen the gate.
The queue continues to move slowly inside the park.

so is anyone in the queue to join 'the queue'?

To be fair to the organisers this whole thing has been run brilliantly - rather than a ‘shambles’ as in press

I think keeping the queue open for a bit after the announcement it was closing was a good call - for the sake of those who were already well on their way to join it when the statement was made.

VBut I hope those who have not yet set off delay their journey

Well the disabled queue has become a total shambles with many elderly and clearly disabled people who were already waiting in line suddenly being told to go home.
Some have travelled hundreds of miles .

Very clear. Don't go.

David Beckham is apparently in the queue for the queue.

twitter.com/MrChrisAnstee/status/1570757010727243777/photo/1

Sorry, he's been in the queue for hours apparently.

This picture is taken in the zig zag just by Westminster Hall. Not Southwark Park which is the other end.

Apparently he started queueing at 2am. Respect to him.

Just saw Jacinta Ardern in the hall I believe. And loads of Chelsea Pensioners are going through now (supposed to be working but keep sneaking a peek at the hall).

The Chelsea Pensioners file-past was very moving, I thought

Apparently he bought donuts for loads of folk !

#Queuegate

DS is not far behind David Beckham, they have been messaging to tell us! He's definitely in the normal queue but will be right near the front now so will appear on the live stream shortly I imagine

Can I ask a stupid question? When they closed the queue, and people started making a queue to queue in Southwark Gardens, is that near the entrance to the abbey? So when the official queue ended they would start again at the doors?
Or if they opened the queue again somewhere else how would queue to queue people know where to go?
I've been thinking about this all day.

David Beckham is on the live stream

Thought that was him.

@OneFrenchEgg Southwark Gardens is miles away, nowhere near Westminster.

And now I'm watching David Beckham on the live feed.

He's coming down the steps like he's in the real people's queue, or am I naive?