Marble Arch Mound is SHUT after two days amid storm of criticism

Marble Arch Mound is SHUT after two days amid storm of criticism
Marble Arch Mound is SHUT after two days amid storm of criticism

The Marble Arch Mound has shut after just two days after it was slammed as 'Sh*t Hill' and 'the worst attraction in London'.

The £2million artificial hill on Park Lane was closed yesterday morning to everyone except those who had already paid for tickets - costing between £4.50 and £8 - online in advance.

City of Westminster Council admitted it was 'clear that it is not ready' but failed to explain why it opened on Monday when it was not finished.

It comes after it emerged families living near the mound begged authorities to 'end this madness' before it was even built.

Stunned taxpayers implored councillors to turn down the planning application for the 25m grass and scaffolding monstrosity in February.

One branded it an 'absolute waste of money', while another assessed it as 'a disgraceful and unwanted piece of temporary nonsense'.

Others thought it would attract more crime to the area, while a further local homeower said 'It's ill-thought through, costly and ill-timed'.

Further objections, put their thoughts more simply, imploring the council to 'end this madness and spend public money much more wisely'. 

Construction workers finish work of the Marble Arch Mound in London just two days before it finally opened its doors
Pictured: What the mound was supposed to look like at dusk in the designers' original plans before the attraction oppened

Slide me

Reality and fantasy: The council admitted this afternoon the mound was not ready and refunds would be given all week

The view from the hill showed cloudy skies ahead after a solid 24 hours of criticism and savage put-downs on the mound

Residents living near the listed Marble Arch monument were not in favour of the new hill and called it 'temporary nonsense'

Residents living near the listed Marble Arch monument were not in favour of the new hill and called it 'temporary nonsense'

Another member of the public said that the temporary nature of the man-made mound made it a 'ridiculous waste of money'

Another member of the public said that the temporary nature of the man-made mound made it a 'ridiculous waste of money'

One family urged the council to think again about the project and 'end this madness' as well as spend money 'more wisely'

One family urged the council to think again about the project and 'end this madness' as well as spend money 'more wisely'

A view from the structure - which people have compared unfavourably to vistas seen from hills in other parts of London

A view from the structure - which people have compared unfavourably to vistas seen from hills in other parts of London 

Ugly metal fencing and barriers are still in place around the mound as well as traffic cones, which detract from the greenery

Ugly metal fencing and barriers are still in place around the mound as well as traffic cones, which detract from the greenery

Inside the mound, which visitors see as they exit the attraction, features a complicated scaffold structure

Inside the mound, which visitors see as they exit the attraction, features a complicated scaffold structure

Greenery planted along the side of the structure has not yet grown out into the expected floral display

Greenery planted along the side of the structure has not yet grown out into the expected floral display

The Marble Arch mound installation opens to the public who have paid between £4.50 and £8 depending on the time of day

The Marble Arch mound installation opens to the public who have paid between £4.50 and £8 depending on the time of day

One of the less than impressive views from the mound, showing a metal staircase, metal containers and road traffic

One of the less than impressive views from the mound, showing a metal staircase, metal containers and road traffic 

Twitter users have been critical of the new installation which doesn't entirely match the CGI plans which were submitted pre-installation to show how the attraction would look

Twitter users have been critical of the new installation which doesn't entirely match the CGI plans which were submitted pre-installation to show how the attraction would look

A view over Marble Arch - a famous landmark which is now completely overshadowed by the controversial new attraction

A view over Marble Arch - a famous landmark which is now completely overshadowed by the controversial new attraction 

The attraction is almost entirely surrounded by traffic, meaning the view for visitors leaves something to be desired

The attraction is almost entirely surrounded by traffic, meaning the view for visitors leaves something to be desired 

The mound offers only very limited views across the park because of a blanket of trees surrounding the attraction

The mound offers only very limited views across the park because of a blanket of trees surrounding the attraction

Visitors were offered a 360-degree view of scaffolding, building sites and cranes carrying out construction on buildings

Visitors were offered a 360-degree view of scaffolding, building sites and cranes carrying out construction on buildings

Much of the view visitors have from the top of the attraction is of traffic on the surrounding roads in the busy central London location

Much of the view visitors have from the top of the attraction is of traffic on the surrounding roads in the busy central London location 

Policemen join members of the public at the top of the mound, which is fenced off - for safety reasons

Policemen join members of the public at the top of the mound, which is fenced off - for safety reasons 

Visitors reach the top of the mound via a long metal walkway. The turf on the mound is only in the early stages of growth

Visitors reach the top of the mound via a long metal walkway. The turf on the mound is only in the early stages of growth 

In a fresh insult to locals, City of Westminster Council last night admitted the structure is closed but failed to explain why it was opened on Monday.

A council spokesman told the Times: 'It is clear that it is not ready. People who have paid should have the right to go up. But ultimately we know it's not ready. We acknowledge that. That's why we are not letting people up.'

But he refused to divulge why it was opened before it was ready and would not commit to a date when it will reopen.

The mound was billed as offering a 'new perspective' but opened with 360-degree views of scaffolding, crash barriers and an empty Oxford Street. Visitors were so unhappy they were offered refunds for their tickets.

World-renowned Dutch architect MVRDV designed the project and it was built by construction firms NRP and FM Conway, but looks little like the original plans.

There have also been questions about why something so artificial-looking has been built next to the great natural expanse of green land that is Hyde Park.

A huge 86 per cent of public comments on the scheme when it was proposed in February objected to it - with 52 of the 60 received hostile to the project.

Even the St Marylebone Society Committee - who actually went on to support it - admitted reaction from members had been mixed, with some branding it 'daft'.

 

Two twitter users likened it to a Mario computer game and the home of the Teletubbies

Two twitter users likened it to a Mario computer game and the home of the Teletubbies

How Marble Arch was originally built to be the grand entrance to Buckingham Palace 

Designed to be a grand celebration of British victories in the Napoleonic Wars, Marble Arch was designed by John Nash – the architect to King George IV – in 1827.

It was intended to be the state entrance to Buckingham Palace and initially stood near where there the central part of the building – complete with the famous balcony – is today.

Whilst most of its grand panels and statues had been completed by 1830, the death that year of the King led to the sacking of Nash by the Duke of Wellington - the then Prime Minister – for overspending.

Designed to be a grand celebration of British victories in the Napoleonic Wars, Marble Arch was designed by John Nash – the architect to King George IV – in 1827. It was intended to be the state entrance to Buckingham Palace and initially stood near where there the central part of the building – complete with the famous balcony – is today

Designed to be a grand celebration of British victories in the Napoleonic Wars, Marble Arch was designed by John Nash – the architect to King George IV – in 1827. It was intended to be the state entrance to Buckingham Palace and initially stood near where there the central part of the building – complete with the famous balcony – is today

Instead, fellow architect Edward Blore was commissioned to complete the Arch in a less ostentatious fashion.

The Arch itself was completed in 1833, whilst the central gates were added in 1837 – just in time for Queen Victoria's accession to the throne.

When the Arch became overshadowed by Blore's enlarged Buckingham Palace, the decision was taken in 1850 to move the structure to its current location at Cumberland Gate, where it formed a grand entrance to Hyde Park in time for the Great Exhibition of 1851.

It was de-constructed stone by stone and then put back together after making the short journey.

However, in 1908, a new road scheme cut through the park, leaving the Arch separated from Hyde Park. In 1960s, the roads were widened once more, leaving the Arch in its present isolated position.

In 1970, the Arch gained Grade-1 listed status.

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While the designs for the artificial hill had shown a magical space of lush greenery and stunning views, the reality provided very little.

Neighbouring Hyde Park is almost entirely obscured by trees, making it difficult to spot anything on the grasses. Then to the right a wasteground being developed boast a number of shipping containers and rubble.

The walk-up to the attraction is little better, with a parade of dumper bins lining one corner of the manmade structure. 

Its big reveal prompted a barrage of criticism from the public over its cost and execution. Bassano wrote: 'Having just learned of the Marble Arch Mound, I'm not sure what's worse. 

'Charging £8 to ascend some scaffolding covered in rolls of B&Q turf or the views of the building site from the top' Marketing expert Dan Barker said: 'I'd joked before that it cost 6p per step to climb it, as the 'fast track' price was £8. That seems to have dropped to £6.50, meaning it is a more affordable 5p per step to climb the 130ish steps.'

David Heslop opined: 'I've just seen that Marble Arch mound thing, and can anyone explain why it looks like it was built using the terrain editor from the first Roller Coaster Tycoon?'

Jon quipped: 'They needed to either make more effort to make Marble Arch Mound look like a hill, or less effort. As it is, it looks like a screenshot from seven minutes of work in Minecraft.'

Rachel said: 'TBF the Teletubby land hill, looks better than the £2 million pound utter monstrosity that is the Marble Arch mound.'

Joshua added: 'You cannot tell me the Marble Arch mound doesn't look like the first level in Mario 64.' Another asked: 'I don't live in London. Is this a joke or have the Tories really built a £2million slag heap by Marble Arch?'

July Aylott, 60, a fashion adviser from Hitchin, Herts, said: 'I like the idea of what they did but the views weren't what we expected. It was nice to get up high, but you can't see up Oxford street, which they say you can on the website.

'You can see the shard and cranes in the distance, but that's about it really. I don't think it

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