London street signs on sale at auction

London: Anglophiles, collectors and Beatles fans began a bidding battle on Wednesday as a bevy of original London street signs, including one of the iconic Abbey Road, went on sale at auction. The world-famous street, home to the studios where The Beatles recorded most of their albums, is the standout lot in the collection of around 270 used signs being offered at the two-week online sale. Abbey Road itself featured on the cover of the Fab Four album of the same name and the sign could fetch more than £5,000 ($6,930, 5,750 euros), according to auctioneer Catherine Southon, who is handling the offering. “Who knows? The sky’s the limit,” she said, describing it as “the real king of the road signs”. Bidding for the unique piece of signage reached £1,110 within hours of the auction getting under way. Other notable names going under the virtual hammer include Prince’s Gate, which overlooks Hyde Park in the upmarket Knightsbridge district, and Savoy Place near the River Thames in the West End. Pimlico Road in the SW1 postcode — a key destination for antiques dealers and interior designers — Westbourne Park Road on the Notting Hill Carnival route and Belgrave Place in swanky Belgravia are also expected to prove popular. Westminster City Council, responsible for local governance in most of central London, is selling the collection, pledging to invest the money raised “back into services for people in our city”. — AFP