Iconic London street signs to be auctioned off

Buyers will be able to bid on such street signs as Abbey Road. Picture: PA

THEY have pointed Londoners and tourists in the right direction for generations but their time has now passed.

Westminster City Council and Transport for London are set to upgrade a large swathe of the Capital’s street signage to a more modern and legible look.

Distinctive black aluminium finger signs, which offered direction to landmarks including Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, are to be sold off as are a limited number of famous street signs including Abbey Road and Downing Street.

Estimates range from £20 to more than £1,000 for each of the 362 signs.

Robert Davis, deputy leader of the Tory-run council, said: “London is home to some of the most famous street signs in the world and buyers now have the chance to acquire a genuine piece of the capital’s history.

“More than 15 million visitors came to London last year and they were greeted and guided to historic locations by signs like these.”

The sale of the signposts, which were installed during the 1990s, has been described by auctioneers as an “absolute one off”.

The auction will take place at Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex, on May 21.