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The Leicester Square Switzerland Pavillion Clock
lemoncurd
Posts: 57,778 Forum Member
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I've always made a beeline for this whenever I've been to London as I was in awe of it as a child. In case there's anyone who never saw it, on the hour, a backdrop on the corner of the building would rotate to reveal an Alpine scene, and a huge glockenspiel would play tunes as wooden farmers would herd their cattle across the front of the building.
Just went to find it on Google Streetview, and it's gone!! Why? They seem to have just hung the old bells on a very dull-looking post - no farmers or anything. Even the ornate clock seems to have been downgraded to a cheap-looking thing.
Why?? This was one of the big London stopping-points! Where the Swiss pavillion was now stands an anaemic-looking glass building.
Did English Heritage not have something to say about it?
edit: Found a video of it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_4kLmPZXh0
Just went to find it on Google Streetview, and it's gone!! Why? They seem to have just hung the old bells on a very dull-looking post - no farmers or anything. Even the ornate clock seems to have been downgraded to a cheap-looking thing.
Why?? This was one of the big London stopping-points! Where the Swiss pavillion was now stands an anaemic-looking glass building.
Did English Heritage not have something to say about it?
edit: Found a video of it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_4kLmPZXh0
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Couple of things I thought as a child,
One, where did they all disappear too and I couldn't work out how the scenery changed.
Two, because of the above^^, was never quite sure whether any of it was real.
(we are talking very young here)
I remember the shop inside as well, very expensive and once we had something to eat there.
Where are they? I don't see them on Streetview.
interestingly local businesses objected to it being re-instated, so the new location is a compromise.
The Red & White circular bit lowers, and they're under there.