London will be “full to bursting” over the Coronation weekend as a huge influx of tourists, combined with celebratory spending by residents, gives an estimated £450 million boost to the capital’s retail and hospitality sectors.
Experts estimate that more than 30,000 extra foreign visitors — equivalent to the population of a town the size of Windsor — on top of what would normally be expected will enjoy “Coronation treat” visits to London.
“The world will be watching London,” said Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle this morning, while the Lord Great Chamberlain, Lord Carrington, said Charles and Camilla were “very relaxed” ahead of the big day.
In total there are forecast to be more than 100,000 overseas tourists staying in London for the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on Saturday. With hundreds of thousands more visiting from around the UK, virtually every hotel and short stay rental room in the capital is booked and prices have soared.
Some of the world leaders and VIPs who are attending the Coronation arrived today. They were due to be met by Rishi Sunak at Downing Street this afternoon, while the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, were set to visit a pub in Soho to view the preparations. Last night Big Ben was lit up with images of the national flowers of the four home nations — a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock — projected on to the landmark in red, white and blue. The words of the national anthem, God Save the King, also appeared across the tower before the projection culminated with the Coronation emblem.
Lord Carrington said it had been “an absolute pleasure” working with Charles and Camilla in the run-up to the event. “They appear extremely well, very relaxed and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with them at the rehearsals,” he told Times Radio.
Ros Morgan, chief executive of the Heart of London group representing businesses in and around Piccadilly,
St James’s and Leicester Square, said: “You are going to see huge volumes of people coming into central London. It’s a huge opportunity to start recouping the losses made since the pandemic. It’s the boost we need. You can already feel the atmosphere as you walk through the streets of the West End.”
Research for the Evening Standard from specialist analysts Key Data revealed that international visitor accommodation bookings were up 75.1 per cent compared with the same period last year. Overall arrivals in London, including from across the UK, were 47.4 per cent higher than last year. That will result in estimated spending of more than £200 million from foreign visitors alone on accommodation, eating out and shopping.
But if the extra spending on street parties, drinks and meals out by Londoners and memorabilia are added, the total could reach more than £450 million, according to separate predictions by the Centre for Retail Research. Of that, more than £200 million will be spent over the three-day bank holiday weekend itself and the rest in the run up to, and after the event.
Sally Henry, vice president of business development at Key Data, said: “London is always a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, driving huge numbers of visitors all year round. The jump we’re seeing over Coronation fortnight is testament to the pulling power of the history and pageantry that Britain is so famous for.”
Shakila Ahmed of budget hotel chain Travelodge said: “As one of London’s largest hotel brands, operating 79 Travelodge hotels across the capital, our central London hotels are literally sold out. We are now seeing strong demand in Greater London.”
At the coronation ceremony, Lord Carrington will hand the new monarch the “Golden Spurs”, which date back to Richard I, and also later receive the royal glove. He explained that the spurs represented “knighthood, chivalry, bravery”.
