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Original poster

London - Coronation Weekend

34 replies

DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 10:36

Trying to find a date to have a weekend break in London.

Would coronation weekend be impossibly busy every where, or just around Buckingham Palace/The Mall?

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 14/03/2023 11:29

Really depends if those not interested in the Coronation stay away or not. I'd think places well away from the abbey would be normal for a weekend.

Sep200024 · 14/03/2023 11:33

Is this for real???

Of course it is going to be way busier than normal around most of London!

If you are not interested in the coronation, pick a different weekend dafty.

Many areas will be closed off and inaccessible on the Saturday.

QueenOfWeeds · 14/03/2023 11:36

Surely accommodation will be more expensive, if nothing else?

But yes, I would expect restaurants, roads and public transport to be packed. Possibly some attractions might be quieter but doubt it’s worth the trade off.

Original poster
DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 11:42

Sep200024 · 14/03/2023 11:33

Is this for real???

Of course it is going to be way busier than normal around most of London!

If you are not interested in the coronation, pick a different weekend dafty.

Many areas will be closed off and inaccessible on the Saturday.

Thanks for the input.

OP posts:
cocksstrideintheevening · 14/03/2023 11:43

DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 10:36

Trying to find a date to have a weekend break in London.

Would coronation weekend be impossibly busy every where, or just around Buckingham Palace/The Mall?

Of course it will. it will be hideous. I doubt you'd even find accommodation now that isn't ££££££££££

Bizarre weekend to choose.

Original poster
DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 11:46

@cocksstrideintheevening

I've been able to find accommodation which is roughly around what we would normally pay - although one previous hotel was 3 times the amount!

Not a choice to go because of the coronation, I actually had no idea when that was taking place until I went to input the weekend in my calendar...it was just a weekend that works best for us.

OP posts:
Original poster
DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 11:47

LlynTegid · 14/03/2023 11:29

Really depends if those not interested in the Coronation stay away or not. I'd think places well away from the abbey would be normal for a weekend.

That's what we were wondering - would the other areas be a bit quieter

OP posts:
TheFlis12345 · 14/03/2023 11:52

It completely depends what you want to do in London. Anything really central will be packed but if you wanted to do a Wembley tour and some of the further out museums it would not be the worst idea (though all public transport will be packed everywhere).

Roundandnour · 14/03/2023 12:13

Abbey, Buckingham palace Broad Sanctuary, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade, Horse Guards Road, The Mall, and Constitution Hill plus more for the main route between the two, plus side roads

Palaces and Tower of London will also be closed to visitors so expect loads of people. Museums, galleries and anything else linked to the royals will also be closed.

There will be road closures due to street parties. Pubs etc that will be showing it.

A lot of the big parks will also be packed.

TfL will also have closed stations and other caveats they normally have on bank holidays and Sundays.

Charitable organised events such as the big lunch have until the end of the month to state their plans.

Honestly I love walking around London. Couldn’t pay me enough to do it on a bank holiday weekend even without a massive public event taking place.

Lcb123 · 14/03/2023 12:15

Of course it will be horrifically busy and expensive. I’d avoid unless you want to participate in coronation stuff

GoodVibesHere · 14/03/2023 13:15

Pahahaha seriously? Will London be busy during the coronation?! Ummm yes I should think so!

Original poster
DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 13:18

GoodVibesHere · 14/03/2023 13:15

Pahahaha seriously? Will London be busy during the coronation?! Ummm yes I should think so!

I actually asked if it would be impossibly busy, everywhere.

I am aware that some places will be ridiculously busy.

OP posts:
Sep200024 · 14/03/2023 13:21

But you understand that large parts of central London will be closed off / operating one way systems for pedestrians / under significant crowd control restrictions?

Silverlog · 14/03/2023 13:25

Having been in town for other royal events, I can confidently say it will be insane. As much as I'd like to go into town that weekend, I won't.

Original poster
DrMeredithGrey2023 · 14/03/2023 13:27

Sep200024 · 14/03/2023 13:21

But you understand that large parts of central London will be closed off / operating one way systems for pedestrians / under significant crowd control restrictions?

Yes, but actually hadn't gone so far as to look in to anything regarding the coronation yet - just assumed the rough route.

I was wondering if it would be hideous on the Friday and Saturday absolutely everywhere, or if it might be a good time to go and explore things away from the parts we usual visit.

For instance, we usually stay in Westminster - we wouldn't do that if we'd planned to go. We wouldn't think about taking a little stroll up the mall and then on to see the pelicans in the park.

But we may have taken the opportunity to go to Battersea Power Station and have a go on the chimney lift.

If the Friday and Saturday would be horrible everywhere, then there would be no point.

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 14/03/2023 14:20

Yes well good luck whatever you decide. Personally I wouldn't go to London that weekend if you paid me.

loudbatperson · 14/03/2023 14:22

There will be more people so everywhere will be busier. Yes it will be busiest around the actual coronation, but it will affect everywhere.

Don't forget hotels etc will be too price due to demand, and restaurants booked up etc.

I think plenty of us are planning to head out of the London for that weekend.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 14/03/2023 14:30

Honestly I love walking around London. Couldn’t pay me enough to do it on a bank holiday weekend even without a massive public event taking place.

Lived in London nearly all my life, love the place. You couldn't pay me to go anywhere near it that weekend.

JorisBonson · 14/03/2023 14:34

I'll be staying the heck out of central that weekend.

Blossomtoes · 14/03/2023 14:38

I love London but it will be a nightmare that weekend.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 14/03/2023 14:42

For a start the world press will have descended and will be camped out around the palace/Mall/St James's Park - they were for P Philip's death and funeral and he wasn't even being buried in London (largely, I was told, because numbers were restricted in Windsor). St James's Park and the Mall and possibly Green Park will probably be closed for entrance heavily restricted for security and logistical reasons. Plus everyone who wants to be part of the coronation and can make it to London will be there.

Have a look at what happened for the late queen's funeral - that'll be what it'll be like in May.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 14/03/2023 14:43

Jeez, some of that that doesn't make sense. St James's Park and the Mall and possibly Green Park will probably be closed OR entry heavily restricted for security and logistical reasons.

And public transport will be rammed.

TakeMe2Insanity · 14/03/2023 14:44

Honestly anywhere on the royal route will be pedestrianised. Outside of that everything will be very busy and slow however things in the normal areas (zone 2/3) will be quiet. The bridges may be closed to transport etc.

bps · 14/03/2023 14:47

I live just by Battersea Power Station. St James Park, the Mall, etc were packed during the funeral, but BPS area was normal. As it's a bank holiday weekend, you might get people coming down to BPS but to be honest a lot of the hype has died down and it's not super crowded even most weekends.

bps · 14/03/2023 14:49

I actually don't think the museums and other attractions will be significantly more crowded. Visitors mostly go for the coronation events, and Londoners tend to stay in due to thinking everywhere will be too crowded with tourists. But it will be hard to get anywhere due to road closures and packed public transport.