Britons have taken to social media to voice their surprise at over-the-top cancellations and reactions to the nation’s period of mourning.
While the closures of supermarkets, the scrapping of hospital appointments and postponement of bin collections will impact millions, many have been left puzzled by some of the more niche examples of companies, charities and individuals offering their own ‘marks of respect’.
These have included a kite festival being cancelled, children’s rides being unplugged, and estate agent’s window lettings being turned into a bizarre portrait of the late monarch.
A number of property specialists have covered up what were previously offers of houses and flats for sale or rent, and instead replaced them with pictures of Her Majesty or the royal coat of arms.
In one extreme example, the shop has created a collage-like portrait of the Queen using nine different separate images.
Another unusual tribute which caught the eye of many on Twitter was the postponement of Guinea Pig Awareness Week.
A post on Facebook read: ‘In recognition of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, we are postponing Guinea Pig Awareness Week.
‘Guinea Pig Awareness Week will now take place from 26th-30th September.’
There was also much reaction to a picture of a traditional red phone box covered in a black veil, with bouquets of flowers left beside it.
Elsewhere, social media users were puzzled by the closure of a children’s ride based on the animated character Bing.
An A4 notice stuck on the attraction read: ‘As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we are suspending the use of this ride whilst the nation is in mourning. Thank you for your understanding.’
Similarly, a large sign revealed that a funfair in Brighton was closed ‘out of respect’.
Meanwhile, cinemas across the country have decided they are not screening blockbuster films on Monday, however some were puzzled to see Vue’s policy when broadcasting the service.
The chain says on its website: ‘We will be screening the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in selected UK venues on Monday, 19 September, live from 10am.
‘Seats will be free of charge and our retail offering on this day will be limited to complimentary bottled water during the broadcast, with no other snacks or drinks available for purchase.
‘On this day we will not be showing our normal programme of films.’
Others pointed out a store’s solemn message about the monarch against the backdrop of a colourful children’s display, a man’s tattoo of the Queen and Paddington Bear and a host of other event cancellations, such as the Streatham Common Wind Day.
A tourist attraction in Manchester has also taken steps to tweak its operations as a ‘mark of respect’.
The I’m a Celebrity Jungle Attraction at Salford Quays sees contestants bid to become ‘king or queen of the jungle’.
However, these titles are being temporarily removed, and the winners at the end of the trials will instead be referred to as the ‘champion of the jungle’.
And YoSushi has pushed back its reduced price menu – which includes items for 97p to mark 25 years of business since 1997 – until after the period of mourning.
They are the latest examples of obscure ways businesses and organisations are honouring the Queen’s death, after bike rack closures, lowering the volume of the bleeps on supermarket checkouts and stopping clocks on the very minute the monarch died were pointed out earlier this week.
Responding to the various reported cancellations and closures, tweeters have been joking: ‘It’s what she would have wanted’.
Meanwhile, buskers have reacted with disbelief over TfL’s sudden decision to suspend busking on the London Underground during the period of mourning.
Some took to social media to vent their frustration, saying they will lose a week’s income because of the decision.
Author Philip Pullman also weighed on the decision, saying: ‘Apparently TfL has declared that no busking will be allowed on the Underground until after the Queen’s funeral. What a miserable, mean cast of mind this reveals.’
One musician known as Benjamin Teacher, who is blind and plays guitar on the Underground with one arm, responded: ‘Thanks for the support Philip.
‘As a LU Busker who is physically disabled and legally blind, Busking is my only source of income to provide and survive.
This temporary ban ONLY impacts/hurts us buskers. more so those who are disabled. Please think it over.
The Underground is where Chris Morris, 41, performs most days, either alone himself or with his band Berlin Blonde. Chris Morris has been busking for years, he said.
I didn’t know they had sent an email saying not to busk, he said. Even though there was no advance notification, I could live with it if it was just going to last for this weekend. But later that day, it apologised and indicated that it would have to wait until after the burial.
Since we schedule our pitches two weeks in advance, we were unaware that someone was going to pass away.
Depending on how many days he performs, he generally earns between £300 and £400 a week. He said that the TfL decision would really cost him almost two weeks of employment since he will miss two weekends, which are more lucrative than the weekdays.
Even though it’s riskier, the guitarist and drummer said he now intends to busk on the streets of east London.
In South Kensington, where he busked on Friday, he said, “I had a very wonderful day and earned over £100 in four hours.” I believe that the fact that someone was making the atmosphere more upbeat was welcomed.
“It is more safer and better on the Tube since there is security, internet access, and contactless payments available.” I’ve been robbed on the streets before.
“I thank TfL for allowing us to do it, but I just wish they had warned us in beforehand,” the speaker said.
39 spots are available under TfL’s busking programme at 25 London Underground stations. According to TfL’s website, buskers perform for a specific audience of 3.5 million people.
Big name celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Bob Geldof, and Katherine Jenkins have been seen busking on the Tube.
Jamie Pullman, London Regional Organiser for the Musicians’ Union (MU) said: ‘The MU has been in contact with many musicians who have been denied an opportunity to earn a living and wholeheartedly support their view that they should be allowed to continue to busk on the Underground.
Considering how important music is to national occasions like royal weddings and, more recently, the Queen’s burial, it is ridiculous to claim that doing so is disrespectful.
Busking took place without incident during the recent Jubilee festivities, therefore we think that worries about congestion are exaggerated.
We are quite upset with the decision to forbid street artists from earning a livelihood on the London Underground during the Queen’s time of mourning, said David Fisher, co-director of the advocacy group Keep Streets Live.
Even while we recognise that many people may wish to mourn and pay their respects, this shouldn’t stop buskers from performing their craft.
“We call on TfL to change this policy with a matter of urgency, and we hope that this will not set a precedent for other areas in London,” the group says. “It is hard to believe that the Royal Family, who have supported a wide variety of arts-focused charities over the years, would approve of such a ban.”
According to a TfL representative, “We have decided to halt the busking programme throughout our network for the time of national grief, and we will restore the scheme after this.”