Major London attraction could be moved for tourists

London’s Marble Arch, the 180-year-old slab of white marble designed by the famous architect John Nash, could be moved piece-by-piece in order to make it more accessible for tourists. According to The Times, the edifice was marooned on one of the city’s busiest roundabouts half a century ago, and can only be accessed “by braving a warren of dingy subways often inhabited by beggars”. But now Transport for London (TfL) wants to move the arch about 100 metres so that it “once again serves as a grand entrance to Central London’s largest green space (Hyde Park). The newspaper reports that the arch was built in 1827 as the chief entrance for Buckingham Palace, but proved to be too small and was moved in 1851. It was used as an entrance to Hyde Park but over the course of the second half of the 20th century became cut off by ongoing road development. Peter Hendy, TfL’s director of surface transport, is quoted as saying: “The arch is isolated on an island that serves no real purpose. It is a fine monument and it ought to be in a place where it can be seen and admired.” Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd