To quite like the Marble Arch Mound?

[Iwantacatnotcovid]

Is it just me that thinks the Marble Arch Mound is actually really beautiful?

I like the idea of being able to see a part of London from a higher point, and that you can go inside it too!

It's closing this weekend, so I guess I'll never experience it now (I'm in Brum).

It was kind of ugly from bus

I just googled it and it looks like something my kid would build in minecraft. Nice concept though

Have seen it in real life several times, yes YABU! It was a really ugly thing ;-) and there are several other nearby places to get a view. It was also shorter than the nearest buildings so the view can't have been that good!

The view would mostly be of lots of traffic cramped together at a busy junction. Not very exciting. I can't imagine you would see much else.
However I was planning to go to Oxford Street tomorrow so now I know the mound is closing I am tempted to go up it. For the laugh

I like it! I wouldn't describe it as beautiful, but it has a certain clompiness about it that I really like.

Just you. Although I'd admit the orginal fantasy design was better.

We holidayed in London last summer and it was my favourite thing - wonderfully, awfully crap in every way. Very glad I didnt have to pay for it though, either as a visitor or esp as a local resident. They must be really chuffed - 6million for a crappy laughing stock.

It was a nice idea... The reality was it was a pile of dead grass on a bunch of exposed scaffolding, a stairway to nowhere. It never really looked finished.

Personally, I prefer taking in the view from much higher up with a cocktail in hand at the Hilton along the road and taking the lift or the better views from the top of Wellington Arch at the opposite end of Park Lane. There is an art gallery in the arch too.

It had a nice view of places and monuments that offer much better views of London.

The actual Marble Arch is a lot better, I've been to drinks receptions up there - no idea if it's still open

Actually I might be thinking of Wellington arch, it's been a while!

Most of the detractors won't have been up it so aren't really entitled to an opinion. It was free when I went up in in the summer; I can see it was expensive to build and it's not really high enough for views - but I thought the construction was pretty impressive inside. I enjoyed it; not sure it would be worth more than about £4 to pay to go up, but for free I was not complaining.

I went past in a taxi a while ago and wasn’t impressed. £6m to build seems a waste.

Meanwhile where I live (NW) our local swimming pool was condemned about 5 years ago and there is apparently no money to build another. Schools have to hire a coach to get kids to swimming lessons, knocking out a whole afternoon and adding to school financial pressures.

Levelling up, anyone?

Nice idea. Too expensive to build, looks crap, was going to be too expensive to go up.

In person it was even shitter than on the pictures. I particularly liked the bins on full display to all customers.

I've been up it. It felt like it was held together with cable ties and good wishes. The views weren't great and it looked cheap. It was very naff and glad it was free but the light show bit on the way out was lovely so made up for it.

Most of the detractors won't have been up it so aren't really entitled to an opinion.

I have been up it and my council tax paid for it, @MyGreenTutu, so I feel entitled to be somewhat unimpressed

It looks a mess, it cost 3 times what it should and was so pitiful they couldn't charge entry to claw back some of the costs. Think what could have been done with that £6million.

88% disagree!

You're ruining my fantasy

It’s awful but this Twitter thread about it is worth a read, made me smile.

twitter.com/thomas_kitching/status/1478349787959382025?s=21

I found it pretty rubbish only went on it as it was free at the time

@Yummayumma

In person it was even shitter than on the pictures. I particularly liked the bins on full display to all customers.

Yes the row of bins next to the jungle wall and explanatory information was a particularly fine touch

You're all wrong

I wonder what will replace it?

Nothing, hopefully, unless someone else is paying for it this time. Another Extinction Rebellion camp maybe? There used to be a Christmas ice rink before Winter Wonderland opened and one time there was an outdoor cinema. Those were quite nice.

I imagine it will go back to being a lawn and a plaza with a great big marble arch in the middle of it and a memorial to all the people that were hung from the gallows there. Isn't that enough? Does it need a gimmick?

I'm fancying a giant plastic something like they have in Australia. Lobster maybe?

I was reading about it last night and I discovered there is a fancy light display on the inside. First I heard about that. Perhaps if that had been promoted more - rather than it's just a novelty fake hill with a crap view - more people might have been interested in going.
I assume it will just be replaced with the pick pockets. They've probably done a fantastic trade in Winter Wonderland but now need their regular pitch back.