An £80m Refurbishment

With the passing of time, Big Ben was starting to show its age! A major refurbishment began in 2017, to bring it back in to good working condition. This work included restoring the dials back to their original shade of blue.

During the five-year refurbishment, Big Ben was uncharacteristically silent and without its iconic chimes. There were only a handful of occasions which were an exception to this, including the annual New Year’s Eve celebrations, and Remembrance Sunday, when Britain remembers those who sacrificed themselves for their country during war.

Big Ben had only been silent on very few occasions previously - usually due to brief malfunction - though there was also a period of two years during World War I when its bells were stopped and lights turned off to avoid being targeted during opposition attack. The latest pause has been the longest one since then.

The 2017 refurbishment was completed in Summer 2022, and after a long silence, those living in or visiting London much appreciate hearing its great chimes regularly once again.