London: Speakers' Corner Update?
 

London's famous Speakers' Corner - at Hyde Park Corner I believe it's called - right where Oxford Street greets Hyde Park. I'd like to know about S C today - long ago I visited the corner many times - not just on Sundays (or Saturdays?) when it was going full-tilt. And it was always amusing even though dominated by radicals and bible-thumpers - but the interaction between onlookers and speakers was always fun.

It's been 7 years since I last visited and I hear now that Speakers' Corner ain't what it was. Is that true or is it still a major sight to take in in London?

I'd like personal experiences.

Thanks!

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/...peakers-corner

https://www.google.com/search?q=spea...ih=613&dpr=1.5

Pictures show lots of activity but who knows how old they are?

Anyone with recent experience at SC - posts here says it is not much anymore with just holy-rollers and little else - not the radicals and political stuff which I found intriguing - especially humorists with a message.

Haven't been there in a while but I suspect you don't know what a "holy roller" is, as they are mainly in the US. There may be evangelical religious speakers there, but unlikely they are holy rollers.

I'm not interested in that kind of thing as it is often people who may be somewhat mentally ill or those who like a lot of attention. I don't find this amusing myself nor a way I want to spend my time. YMMV

So, it's not vibrant as before and understandable - I'll tell my friends going to London to cross it off there to do list. Thanks.

>>So, it's not vibrant as before and understandable<<

It hasn't been 'vibrant' in more than 20 years. If they do go -- don't be sending them to Hyde Park Corner.

No as Christina nicely pointed out, that it's really at Marble Arch - another Hyde Park corner. I was there probably 8 years ago on a Sunday and it was still interesting though more and more dominated by holy rollers. Nothing like years ago and I only stayed an hour or two. No wonder I rarely hear about it anymore.

Speaker's Corner is irrelevant today, at least in my experience. I've heard of it, of course, but in probably 25 years I've never heard anyone in london mention it. One of those things that had become a wonder with tourists decades ago but I don't see why it would be on anyone's list today. I've lived in London for ages and I've NEVER visited it. I don't even think of it as anything.

>>another Hyde Park corner<<.

Hyde Park Corner IS Hyde Park Corner, and Marble Arch is not anything but Marble Arch. They are a mile apart. And walkinaround is probably more accurate saying that its been passé 25+ years.

Hyde Park Corner is a specific location in London. Marble Arch is another. If you tell people SC is at a Hyde Park corner, you'll send them the wrong way. With a C or c.

Can I settle this as I have no horse in this race? A (or another) Hyde Park corner is technically correct but would generally be poor writing as it's potentially confusing to the reader. It's a tough call but I have to rule with Pal on this because in the context of the post, he did acknowledge Christina's correction so it's not like he was trying to suggest that he was correct in his original post (i.e. that he originally meant Hyde Park corner generically as if to say "SC is located in ONE OF Hyde Park's corners). So I assume it was a tongue-in-cheek way to acknowledge the correction. But a forum like this is probably not the best place for such literary gymnastics as people can become easily confused or (as in this case) fail to recognise or accept the intent of the wording, resulting in unnecessary noise.

Several posts have been deleted as it seems everyone is looking for a fight.

It has been established that Speakers Corner is at Marble Arch and not Hyde Park Corner. Now play nice.

Thank you!! Sometimes when I ask a question and receive replies, I wonder what I did wrong? Mainly, people are good to answer but some seem to have nothing to do but be a critic.