Visitors crowding into central London from as far away as the U.S. and India for the historic moment are giving a boost to businesses at a time when the British economy is facing a cost-of-living crisis fueled by the highest inflation.
“This is the history, you know, this happens once in the lifetime,” said Kanakkantt Benedict, who was visiting from India with his wife and filed past the queen’s flag-draped coffin this week. “So we became a part of it.”
Hundreds of world leaders, from U.S. President Joe Biden to Japan's emperor and empress, plus their entourages need places to stay as they arrive for the queen's funeral. So do police officers coming from around Britain to help with security. All 35 rooms at the two-star Corbigoe Hotel in London's Victoria neighborhood, near Buckingham Palace, were booked, duty manager Riaz Badar said.
Also on the route, Jason Rich's food stall, Fed By Plants, was doing brisk business selling lentil burgers.The U.K. was already an attractive place to visit as demand rebounds for international travel since the COVID-19 pandemic and the weakened pound, especially for American visitors, makes transatlantic travel more affordable.
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