London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Central London gets a deep clean ahead of the Queen's funeral

Central London gets a deep clean ahead of the Queen's funeral

Focal points in central London have had a deep clean ahead of the Queen's state funeral.

Westminster City Council's "Clean Streets" team has been jet-washing graffiti and dirt from statues, and removing stickers from lampposts.

One cleaner, who did not want to be named, said he had been starting work at 06:00 BST, cleaning areas including Whitehall and Park Lane.

He told BBC London he was "cleaning up the city for the Queen".

When asked by reporter Ayshea Buksh if he felt proud, he said: "Of course I do - we all have to do our bit."

He was speaking as he power-washed the statue of another queen - Boudicca - who led a revolt by Celtic Britons against the Roman Empire and whose statue overlooks the Houses of Parliament.

Souvenir sellers said they were also very busy.

A tourist stall on Oxford Street is one of many selling Queen Elizabeth II memorabilia


Mohammed Salah, who runs a stall near on the north side of Westminster Bridge, said he had mugs and flags in stock to mark the occasion.

Lambert Souvenirs, near Trafalgar Square, told the BBC postcards featuring the Queen and the Royal Family "were all going out the door".

Speaking of other popular items, Michael Bloomberg, Lambert's IT manager, said: "It's really, really busy, and the trouble is getting stock.

"Online, suddenly it's gone mad. The evening after the announcement we were getting orders for mugs and tea with pictures of the Queen on," Mr Bloomberg said.

The orders, he added, were coming from as far as Australia and the United States for the store, which has been selling souvenirs in London for four decades.

He said they would be better prepared for the King's coronation, as the Queen's death took people by surprise.

Mohammed Salah, who runs a stall near Westminster Bridge, said he had mugs and flags in stock to mark the occasion


As many people prepare to head to London in the coming days to witness events related to the Queen's funeral, there is a warning they could face soaring hotel bills.

An overnight stay on Sunday, the night before the funeral, could cost four times as much it would a week later, according to analysis by the Press Association.

People are queuing to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state


The BBC found a double room at Park Plaza County Hall - one of the closest hotels to Westminster Abbey - costs £999 on 18 September, compared with £241 seven days later.

The hotel group said prices "fluctuate" according to demand.

The Crowne Plaza London Albert Embankment also has higher rates on the eve of the funeral, with a standard double room costing £730, compared with £251 a week later.

Many hotels near Westminster Abbey operated by lower-priced chains such as Premier Inn and Travelodge are fully booked for Sunday night.

Premier Inn said it had no rooms left available at several of its sites, including London County Hall, London Waterloo (Westminster Bridge) and London Victoria.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×