The Marble Arch Mound, which was supposed to attract people back into the heart of London, opened in Hyde Park on 26 July 2021, incomplete, over budget and widely derided. "The New York Times" wrote: "Londoners Were Promised a Hill With a View. They Got a Pile of Scaffolding."

The mound was mocked on social media ("a monstrosity", "a disgrace", "I wouldn't pay £4 to walk up a hill"). Plants on the structure surrounded by scaffolding dislodged and cascaded down the slopes; grass began to die; young trees struggled in the summer heat. July's ticket holders were offered refunds. "The Mound" closed temporarily and then dropped the entry fee after reopening.

The Conservative-led Westminster council launched a review to understand what had gone wrong. Senior council officers had hidden details and lied about how much money the Mound would make; there had been a basic lack of project management. The deputy leader responsible for the project, resigned from his role after costs tripled from an initial forecast of £2m.

Nevertheless, the organisers claimed that the Mound had boosted footfall to the West End shopping area and helped it recover from the financial damage caused by the pandemic: "The Mound has done what it was built to do - drawn crowds and supported the recovery in this part of London. We're really pleased that over 242,000 people have visited to see the Mound." But it had cost the Council £25 per visitor.

The Mound closed permanently on 9th January 2022.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org