From your pocket to the Royals and back

By Andreea Alexandru


THE Royal Wedding is the biggest event of the year so far in Britain.

It cost millions to put on and thousands of working hours were lost to business as people were given an extra day’s holiday.

But there has been a huge economic boost as well for tourism gift shops, restaurants and pubs as well as the boost to British pride, upon which you cannot place a price.

Apart from the 1,900 guests the wedding had, over extra 60,000 tourists came to visit London, people who spent money, so contributed to Britain’s budget. According to The Guardian, the royal wedding was estimated to bring around £630 million into the economy.

But not only London had to gain from the wedding – Canterbury has as well.

Chloe Wallace, sales assistant at Merchant Chandler souvenirs’ shop in High Street, was so busy that the shop ran out of some Royal wedding souvenirs.

She said: “ The day of the actual wedding we took nearly £800 in just five hours, which for such a small gift shop, is pretty impressive.

“Unfortunately we had to turn people away asking for the mugs especially as we have sold out.”

If they were not in London or in front of the television, people were partying in pubs or on the streets.

 “Around the country there were thousands of street parties with people taking advantage of the extra bank holiday,” it was reported on the BBC news website.

“There were 5,500 official applications for road closures - with people in Hertfordshire making the highest number of requests at 298.”

Chris Owen is assistant manager at The Old Buttermarket,, a pub and restaurant in the centre of the city.

He said: “ We were quite busy. On Friday, people usually come in the evening but because of the bank holiday, I guess, we had a lot of customers during the day as well.

“ We had a special menu, starting with 18^th of April until 3^rd of May, to celebrate the Royal wedding. I do not know how many were the ones who came for this, but for sure, the event increased our budget on that day.”


All in all, it seems that the Royal wedding of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton brought more benefits than deficiencies to the country.