This made me chuckle! Royal Caribbean try to aid Big Ben silence.

Royal Caribbean has come up with a genius and rather funny way of conquering the silence that will be left over London for the next 4 years, while Big Ben undergoes major works and the famous bell is silenced. The cruise line has sent a letter to Speaker of The House of Commons offering to adapt one of its horns to strike every hour, accompanied by four quarter blasts every 15 minutes.

The bell is to be put out of use, except for special occasions, for four years on Monday to allow for repairs to the surrounding Elizabeth Tower, however Prime Minister Theresa May has stated that ‘it can’t be right’ that the famous bongs will not be heard again until 2021.

The letter from Royal Caribbean reads: ‘Having chimed– almost –unbroken for the past 157 years, we’ve heard The Great Bell will be out of action for four years and were compelled to try and help.

‘Rather than leave the capital in silence, the Royal Caribbean team have put in a word with our UK and Ireland managing director, Ben Bouldin (the other Big Ben), and he would be more than happy to lend you one of our ship’s horns until 2021 to play from Parliament Square.

To keep as close as possible to our great traditions, we could specially adapt our horn to strike every hour to the note of E – accompanied by four quarter blasts every 15 minutes. Let us know if this floats your boat (ship)…’

I love the idea, but clearly, as usual, the offer has split opinion amongst the cruise world. Whatever happens, the thought is there.