# Yet another reason to visit London **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 5, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106 "2021-08-05T15:34:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/1 "2021-08-05T15:34:14Z")
It’s a large pile of dirt. Really. > **[Marble Arch Mound to open as free attraction after ‘spectacular flop’](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/marble-arch-mound-free-tickets-labour-inquiry-b949268.html)** > > The £2m Marble Arch Mound - dubbed London’s worst tourist attraction - will open to the public for free from Monday. ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/2 "2021-08-05T16:31:39Z")
Come winter, they could make a small toboggan route, perhaps make a mini-competition of it. Celebrate the ridiculous nature of this urban hill. I have many more ideas. My rates are reasonable. Come hire me, City of London. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/3 "2021-08-05T17:12:10Z")
Since that proved to be an enormous flop, perhaps the next idea will be an _inverted_ Mound - a huge hole in the ground. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/4 "2021-08-05T17:38:37Z")
(To the tune of _The Grand Old Duke of York_) Oh, the grand old Council men, They had two million pound. They built a hill and they walked to the top, Then they walked down to the ground! And when they were up, they were up, And when they were down, they were down, And when they were only half-way up, They were neither up nor down! 🎵   ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/5 "2021-08-05T21:26:56Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Since that proved to be an enormous flop, perhaps the next idea will be an _inverted_ Mound - a huge hole in the ground That requires a trip to Chicago > **[Chicago Spire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Spire?wprov=sfti1)** > > The Chicago Spire was a skyscraper project in Chicago that was partially built between 2007 and 2008 before being cancelled. Located at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive, it would have stood 2,000 feet (610 m) high with 150 floors and been the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. When originally proposed as the Fordham Spire in July 2005, the design had 116 stories, included a hotel and condominiums, and was topped with a broadcast antenna mast. The building was designed and spearheaded by Spanis ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/6 "2021-08-06T15:17:22Z")
It looks like a landfill a few miles from my house that was decommissioned and converted to Green Hills Park. It’s 469 feet high, compared to Marble Arch Mound’s 82 feet, and free to visit. Maybe Westminster council thought since people were willing to pay for bottled water, they’d pay a pound to climb 18 feet. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/7 "2021-08-06T15:51:31Z")
The dumbest aspect is that you can already get much the same view from the top of the Wellington Arch at the other end of Park Lane. Perhaps an even better one, as you can see over the wall into the Queen’s back garden. As it happens, the last time I had occasion to pass Marble Arch was when I was crossing over to Hyde Park to see the Christo installation on the Serpentine. That was equally pointless, but it did at least have a certain grandeur. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/8 "2021-08-06T20:45:52Z")
Ah, London. A world city of incredible history, art, architecture, culture, food and entertainment unsurpassed in the known world. What it was really missing was a slight incline. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/9 "2021-08-06T20:55:30Z")
> [@Acierocolotl](#): > > Come winter, they could make a small toboggan route, perhaps make a mini-competition of it. Celebrate the ridiculous nature of this urban hill. Are you under the impression it normally snows enough in London for this? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/10 "2021-08-06T21:13:20Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Since that proved to be an enormous flop, perhaps the next idea will be an _inverted_ Mound - a huge hole in the ground. As long as I have an Ass, I’ll never need to visit that. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/11 "2021-08-06T21:23:05Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Since that proved to be an enormous flop, perhaps the next idea will be an _inverted_ Mound - a huge hole in the ground. I would have thought they’d come in pairs. I expect it’s just coincidence that there’s a big partially underground project under construction nearby ([London Crossrail](https://www.crossrail.co.uk/)). ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/12 "2021-08-06T22:42:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Are you under the impression it normally snows enough in London for this? I have this sneaky little feeling that a country that can build an ice-skating rink has the engineering wherewithal to manage a tobogganing hill. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/13 "2021-08-07T23:20:08Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > I expect it’s just coincidence that there’s a big partially underground project under > construction nearby ([London Crossrail](https://www.crossrail.co.uk/)). It is, but the majority of the mound is from a nearby building site, which paid to dispose of the usable earth and stones there. Can’t remember any details because obviously all the results are about how terrible the mound is. I like that they gave it a crappy name rather than waiting for Londoners to come up with a mildly insulting like we do for everything else (Gherkin, Cheesegrater, etc). Think that might be the only thing I do like about it so far, though! ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/14 "2021-08-13T12:22:46Z")
> **[Marble Arch Mound: deputy council leader resigns over £6m cost](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/13/marble-arch-mound-deputy-council-leader-resigns-over-cost)** > > Price of structure created by Westminster council has nearly doubled amid ‘teething problems’ It turns out that £2m was the estimate for construction only. The full estimate including operating and removing it was £3.3m. Somehow or other that turned into £6m… The bright spark behind the project has now resigned. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/15 "2021-08-13T12:34:33Z")
So, what’s the purpose of this supposed to be? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/16 "2021-08-13T12:39:57Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, what’s the purpose of this supposed to be? - To prove people will buy tickets to _anything_. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/17 "2021-08-13T12:50:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, what’s the purpose of this supposed to be? Good question! 😀 According to the guy who has now resigned: > The Mound is intended to be a showcase attraction, expected to bring 280,000 ticketed visitors with millions passing by. It is expected to create a renewed excitement about the area, attract more people to it, support local businesses through increasing dwell time and help resurrect the West End’s economic recovery. He built it but they didn’t come. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/18 "2021-08-13T14:22:58Z")
Which still doesn’t answer the question. People will buy tickets for… what? This feels like a Monty Python sketch, except that an abattoir apartment complex at least has a purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/19 "2021-08-13T16:00:38Z")
If memory serves (and I want to say I remember it in an article linked earlier this thread), the idea was that people would climb the hill and marvel at all the amazing views of London Except the views weren’t amazing, unless you liked the sight of dead grass and construction. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106/20 "2021-08-13T16:44:58Z")
Would you pay £4.50 for these views? (Taken while it was under construction.) [![](https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/06/21/19/7f8db9dd4decdf9e1a8ca4ee15e9ba43Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjI0Mzg1NDEy-2.60497559.jpg?width=1368) ](https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/06/21/19/7f8db9dd4decdf9e1a8ca4ee15e9ba43Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjI0Mzg1NDEy-2.60497559.jpg?width=1368) [![](https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/06/22/12/210621_ES_Marble_Arch_Mound_MW_0062.jpg?width=1368) ](https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/06/22/12/210621_ES_Marble_Arch_Mound_MW_0062.jpg?width=1368) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-visit-london/948106.md?page=2)