Original title:
The Marble Arch mound
Over the hills
How to lure shoppers off their computers? With a heap of earth, apparently
Marble arch mounds
Above the hills
How do I induce shoppers to leave their computers? Obviously a pile of dirt
[Paragraph 1]
THE 25M-HIGH artificial hill at one end of Oxford Street dubbed the Marble Arch Mound opened in July.
At 25 metres high, at one end of Oxford Street, this artificial hill called the Marble Arch Mound opened in July.
It was supposed to help lure shoppers freed from lockdown away from internet stores and back to Britain’s best-known shopping thoroughfare.
This is to entice shoppers who were liberated from online stores during the lockdown to return to britain's most famous shopping avenue.
But once the first visitors were allowed on it, it was revealed to be a mess.
But when the first tourists were allowed in, they found it a mess.
Rain swept turf off the slopes, leaving bare scaffolding on view. What grass remained turned brown.
The rain washed away the turf on the hillside, leaving bare scaffolding. The rest of the grass turned brown.
To Britons familiar with children’s television, it was reminiscent of a shabby, low-rent Teletubby land.
For Britons familiar with children's television, it is reminiscent of the dilapidated, inexpensive Teletubbies Paradise.
[Paragraph 2]
During construction the cost ballooned from £3.3m ($4.7m) to £6m.
During construction, costs surged from £3.3 million to £6 million.
After it opened, plans to charge for entry were scrapped.
After the opening, the program for paid admission was canceled.
The deputy leader of Westminster Council, which commissioned the mound from MVRDV, a Dutch design company, resigned.
The Vice-President of the Council of Westminster, who commissioned MVRDV, a Dutch design firm, to build the hill resigned.
Opposition councillors said the mound was “an international embarrassment” and called for it to be dismantled immediately.
Opposition lawmakers called the hill "an international embarrassment" and demanded its immediate demolition.
It is due to come down as planned on January 9th.
Demolition is scheduled for January 9.
[Paragraph 3]
It has managed to draw in passers-by, perhaps in search of a chuckle.
It succeeded in attracting passers-by, perhaps for some fun.
By December 13th 215,000 had visited, not far off Westminster Council’s goal of 280,000 (which was based on plans to charge up to £8 for entry).
As of 13 December, 215,000 visitors had visited, not far from the Westminster Parliament's target of 280,000 (which is based on a programme of up to £8 for tickets).
On a sunny day the view is decent, taking in Hyde Park, the Shard and the London Eye (an unfortunate reminder that other, better views are available).
The view is not bad when the sun is shining, with a view of Hyde Park, the Shard and the London Eye (unfortunately a reminder that there are even better views to see).
On a recent morning a dozen people milled about on its rickety viewing platform.
On a recent morning, a dozen people wandered aimlessly around the rickety observation deck.
“We wouldn’t have paid, mind you,” says a couple from Bristol.
A couple from Bristol said, "Remind you, we're not going to pay."
The structure feels “temporary”, says another sightseer.
Another tourist said the building felt "temporary".
You enter via a ramp alongside some scrappy planting, and leave through the interior, a maze of scaffolding that creaks with every step.
You come in from a ramp next to it with a jumble of plants, and then leave from the inside, the labyrinth of scaffolding rattling with every step.
[Paragraph 4]
Before covid-19 Oxford Street was already struggling, over-dependent on department stores that were losing the retail battle to online shopping, and lacking the restaurants, bars and gyms that would attract visitors round the clock.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Oxford Street was in a difficult position. Relying too heavily on offline department stores has left it out on the competition with online shopping, and it lacks restaurants, bars and gyms that attract tourists around the clock.
Air pollution and traffic made it a miserable place to stroll.
Air pollution and traffic also make it a place that is not suitable for walking.
Pedestrianising could have helped, but was opposed by residents of other parts of the West End who feared displaced traffic.
Converting it into a pedestrian zone could have helped, but was opposed by residents of other parts of London's West End, who feared traffic congestion.
[Paragraph 5]
During the pandemic Oxford Street also suffered disproportionately.
Oxford Street also suffered disproportionately during the pandemic.
According to Cushman & Wakefield, a property consultancy, and MyTraffic, a data-analytics firm, in the year from March 2020 footfall declined more than in any other major European shopping district.
According to Data from Cushman & Wakefield (a real estate consultancy) and MyTraffic (a data analytics firm), in the year starting in March 2020, foot traffic has fallen more than any other major shopping district in Europe.
Sales are below the level of 2019, says Marie Hickey of Savills, an estate agent.
Mary Hickey, a real estate agent at Savills, said sales were below 2019 levels.
Between March 2020 and August 2021 a fifth of its stores closed.
Between March 2020 and August 2021, one in five stores closed.
Five department stores are downsizing or converting retail space into offices.
Five department stores are downsizing or converting retail stores into offices.
[Paragraph 6]
Westminster Council’s proposal for revival, announced in February 2021, was a £150m facelift.
Westminster Parliament announced a revival proposal in February 2021 for a £150 million refurbishment.
It included making temporarily widened pavements permanent, installing public art, upgrading nearby parks—and the mound.
That includes fixing temporary widened walkways, placing public artwork, upgrading nearby parks — and this small hill.
Some of this is sensible, in particular the wider pavements: shoppers are more likely to visit bricks-and-mortar outlets if walking between them is more pleasant.
Some of these are reasonable, especially the widening of sidewalks: if the road between stores is more comfortable to walk, people who shop will be more likely to go to physical stores.
Rents have come down since before the pandemic, too, which makes retail more viable.
Rent prices have been lowered since before the pandemic, making brick-and-mortar retail stores more practical.
But the only long-term solution for Oxford Street, says Ms Hickey, is becoming less retail-heavy and more mixed-use.
But Ms Hickey said the only long-term solution for Oxford Street was to reduce retail and increase mixed use.
[Paragraph 7]
Look past the gimmicky mound, and there are early signs that things are heading in the right direction.
Leaving aside the small hills of the flowering whistle, there are early indications that they are now moving in the right direction.
IKEA will open up shop in 2023. Some department stores are planning gyms, pools and restaurants.
IKEA will open its doors in 2023. Some department stores are planning gyms, swimming pools and restaurants.
Perhaps the pandemic was just what Oxford Street needed. Business had got so bad that it forced much-needed change.
Maybe the pandemic is exactly what Oxford Street needs. Business needs to get particularly bad to get much-needed change to happen.
(Congratulations on reading, this English vocabulary is about 585)
Originally from: The Economist Britain section of December 18, 2021.
Intensive reading notes from: The Path to Free English
Translation of this article: Fei Min
This article edited proofreader: Irene
For personal English learning communication only
【Supplementary Information】(From the Internet)
Oxford street: The UK's premier shopping street, the centre of shopping in London's West End, attracts 30 million visitors from around the world each year, and the 1.25-mile street is home to more than 300 of the world's largest shopping malls.
Transport: Oxford Street also provides an important transport artery for the heart of London, with 50 buses running every hour and 4 tube stations connected to 5 lines, thus ensuring the core location of the public transport network and paving the way for a commercial boom.
History: From Roman times until the 17th century, Oxford Street existed primarily as a road from outside London's West End to the Oxford area.
【Key sentences】(3)
This is to entice shoppers who have been freed from online stores to return to britain's most famous shopping avenue.
But the only long-term solution for Oxford Street is becoming less retail-heavy and more mixed-use.
The only long-term solution for Oxford Street is to reduce retail and increase mixed use.
The Free English Road