The Abbey Road crosswalk made famous by the Beatles’ 1969 album cover has been repainted since tourists have all but disappeared during London’s coronavirus lockdown.
The zebra stripes of the world’s most recognised pedestrian crossing – which even has its own webcam – had been faded for years with the high amount of footfall, but they are once again as gleaming white as when the cover photo was taken.
Tourists have been clearing out of London as the city has been slowly shutting down; on 19 March, the Mayor of London announced a reduced service on the London Underground, with some stations closed entirely, and people have been asked to use public transportation for essential journeys only. Prime Minister Boris Johnson closed non-essential businesses on 20 March.
In light of the times, an artist has even reimagined the album cover with social distancing rules applied.
The crossing, the first of its kind to be given Grade II-listed status for its ‘cultural and historical importance’, might now look like what John, Paul, Ringo and George walked across in the photograph, but the original crosswalk was actually moved several metres south in the 1980s for better traffic management.
Abbey Road was the Beatles’ final studio album, and it marked its 50th anniversary last year with a huge celebration attended by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
