Westminster is filled not just with politicians, journalists and unemployed protestors, but with tourists. The data would suggest they are mainly Americans, French and Italians who come to see the monuments of central London, visit friends and family, and see how we’re faring after Brexit. They’re probably pretty worried when they see Westminster Bridge.
The amount of foot traffic on the bridge can be overwhelming; sometimes it’s impossible to cross it uninterrupted. People block your path and get in the way of each other, distracted by their phones. They wander blindly into the bike lanes, trying to carry out impromptu Instagram photoshoots, while aiming for the best angle of the famous clock tower.
The bridge seems to attract loud gimmicks, which, quite frankly, we could all do without. On the north side of the bridge, usually in the afternoons, you can find a 360° selfie machine, playing songs like ‘Ah Ya London’ by Ebrahim. These machines are made of an odd little pedestal, which tourists pay to stand on, with a stick attached that spins your phone around to make videos. When no one wants to use it, the arm continues to spin aimlessly.
There are also scammers tricking tourists into betting on the cup and ball game. Many of those who appear to play the game are in fact employed by the scammers, pretending to win handfuls of pound notes. When the police do occasionally appear, the scammers bundle the cup and balls into a bag and scarper, sharpish. I’ve never seen any of them being arrested.
The gimmicks continue at each end of the bridge. Rickshaws park themselves on pavements, with the riders sitting bored on their phones scrolling TikTok while the speakers blast songs like ‘We Found Love’ by Rihanna. Does any of this scream high-class British tourism to you?
Even during the winter months, the bridge remains busy with office workers desperate to get home and tourists gathering to see Big Ben light up. However, some parts of the bridge still seem to be following the Blitz Blackout. The Victorian lamps that do work appear to be running on 50 per cent power, and walking in darkness during a phone snatching epidemic is worrying.
Let’s remember that this area is one of London’s biggest attractions
With this large convergence of tourists, it seems only reasonable to expect decent food for these hungry souls. Yet the only options in this scenic part of London are… a small hot dog stand, caramelised nuts, or ice cream from a van parked on the side of the bus lane. It’s bizarre to be looking at the architectural intricacies of the House of Commons, only to turn around to see onions sizzling on a griddle plate. I’ve never seen queues for this food, and the owners seem unenthused. Are we not trying to impress tourists with a taste of Britain? So why do we allow permits to be given to such low-quality vendors?
Let’s remember that this area is one of London’s biggest attractions – Big Ben is one of the top five most photographed buildings in the world – so surely Brits and Westminster Council should value the area?
Westminster still has its charm. When it’s quiet and the sun sets behind Big Ben, the city is stunning. I have been guilty of taking several photos, walking across the bridge every evening on my commute home. All I want is a bit of care and attention, to make it a safer, more pleasant place to be.
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