Oh no...socks!

[Pebbles16]

I am failing to understand the 'outrage' about having to take your shoes off to walk on the Cosmati pavement. When I say 'outrage', all the news items seem to be focusing on the no shoes angle rather than the amazing opportunity to see and walk on 13th century tiles. Not particularly a royalist, just slightly bemused by the outrage of socks when it is really quite normal if you travel to historic sites abroad.

I would love to be able to do this. I'm so jealous of those who will get to walk on it. I've got really nice socks if anyone can get me a ticket!! Are people really moaning about this? It's such a fabulous opportunity.

I was lucky enough to spend a week in St Petersburg about 20 years ago (Russia, not USA) and all the old palaces etc had overshoes in that material like the COVID masks that you slipped over your shoes... but that's not very environmentally friendly.

Socks seem fine to me?

why outrage? Its a reasonable request on such an historic and important historical floor .

I was in the Abbey a week ago and there was someone on a roped off section of floor doing what looked like restoration/polishing up work on a mosaic floor with a tiny brush 😀I am trying to work out if it was this part of the floor or another, less distinguished, mosaic...

I was just watching a report about this on BBC news.

It looks amazing - I would have my shoes off and my best socks on in a millisecond to have a chance to walk on that. It looks beautiful. The history!! The restorers have done an amazing job.

Disappointing to see that the Republic protesters recently showed no respect to the heritage of the mosaic and tramped all over it in shoes.

Just this second seen a news report on it. No outrage. Just a nice factual item saying that for obvious reasons people will only be allowed to walk across it in their stockinged feet.

Disappointing to see that the Republic protesters recently showed no respect to the heritage of the mosaic and tramped all over it in shoes.

I agree.

I think it's rather odd though that while the great unwashed have to wander it in socks ten at a time, sticking a massive throne on it and having various participants clumping round said throne presumably in best boots isn't apparently going to leave a mark.

Presumably it's a numbers game? Hundreds of people visit the Abbey every day. Maybe a dozen people walking on it for the coronation?

Every 50 years or so

I agree with you.

There's an area in our local park that is cordoned off, and a sign saying it's because various bee-friendly plant seeds have been sown there, to prevent lots of people walking over them and crushing them as they germinate. If e.g. a toddler got in and their parent went to get them it wouldn't be a problem. But dozens of people every day would be a problem.

It's the everyday wear and tear that causes damage, not a (very) occasional excursion.

On the other hand, the comedy value of various dignitaries changing shoes (not 'best boots') for slippers as part of the ceremony would be great 😂ideally accompanied by a trumpet fanfare. Those required to change would presumably choose loafers rather than lace-ups... with a page each to bring the slippers and then hold the loafers...

Maybe I'm over thinking this 😂