A London municipal crew has repainted the Abbey Road crosswalk made famous by the cover of The Beatles‘ 1969 album of the same name, while the city is under lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The crew quietly painted the normally swamped tourist hotspot on Tuesday (March 24), after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a shutdown of non-essential businesses on Friday (March 20).
The pedestrian crossing was designated a site of national importance by the British government in 2010. This means it can only be altered with the approval of the local authorities which would make a decision based on the siteâs historic significance, function and condition, according to Reuters.
âThis London zebra crossing is no castle or cathedral but, thanks to the Beatles and a 10-minute photoshoot one August morning in 1969, it has just as strong a claim as any to be seen as part of our heritage,â John Penrose, Minister for Tourism and Heritage said in a statement at the time.
EarthCam has a live webcam monitoring the site, which now features a fresh coat of paint and very few pedestrians.
The ‘Abbey Road’ album celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and received the deluxe reissue treatment. It packed 23 session recordings and demos, including a host of previously unreleased material. Fans flocked in the thousands to the famous crossing to celebrate it last August. Surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr also reunited at Abbey Road studios for a party celebrating the anniversary.
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