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From 10pm on Friday, August 25 all the way through to the wee hours of Monday, August 28, the central section of Tower Bridge will remain raised. And no, it’s not just for show – though, as we all know, getting to see the bridge lift in action is a pretty rare and spectacular London sight.
The reason for Tower Bridge staying lifted is actually pretty simple. The bridge is in need of some TLC and so is undergoing essential repairs that involve swapping out the well-worn metal plates at the rear of its moveable parts (the bascules, if we’re getting technical).
That means the bridge will be closed and not functioning as, y’know, a bridge. For the Bank Holiday weekend, there’ll be no cars revving their engines, no buses in a hurry and no pedestrians in a rush. Unlike previous times when the bridge has been closed, however, its visitor attraction is keeping its doors wide open. So if you’ve got plans to head up one of its towers and explore the glass-floored walkways, fear not – you’ll still be able to do all that.
As you’d expect given that Tower Bridge is such an essential river crossing, plenty of people aren’t too happy about it being closed. Some local joints (like nearby pubs that rely on tourist foot traffic) are feeling a bit left out of the loop, while traders that often cross the bridge are a little peeved at having to find a workaround.
Some Londoners might remember the last time Tower Bridge stayed open for a long-ish period of time. Two years ago, the bridge surprised everyone by staying wide open for a whopping 12 hours due to some technical hiccups.
Consider this the encore (only this time, on purpose). So, if you spot Tower Bridge giving the city its most dazzling wink over the Bank Holiday weekend, now you know it’s just taking some well-earned R&R before returning to duty.
Did you see that this London tunnel is about to introduce a toll fee for drivers?
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