Abbey Road Studios reopen after 10 weeks of coronavirus lockdown

London’s world famous Abbey Road Studios have reopened after 10 weeks of closure enforced by England’s coronavirus lockdown rules.

The site welcomed members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as the first people to record there since March, who were working with American jazz singer Melody Gardot.

Gardot was booked to record at the studios earlier this year, but was unable to do so due to the lockdown. As she was unable to travel she joined the orchestra remotely for the session.

Abbey Road’s recent closure was its first in almost 90 years, with the studios staying open even through the Second World War. In the time since it has welcomed some of the world’s most famous artists including Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Kanye West.

Most famously, The Beatles recorded the majority of their albums there, including their legendary 1969 LP named after the studios.

Lockdown did have its advantages for Abbey Road, however. In March, a London municipal crew took advantage of quieter streets to repaint the nearby zebra crossing made famous by the cover of the Beatles LP.







They quietly painted the normally swamped tourist hotspot zebra crossing on Tuesday (March 24), after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a shutdown of non-essential businesses on Friday (March 20).

The pedestrian crossing was designated a site of national importance by the British government in 2010. This means it can only be altered with the approval of the local authorities which would make a decision based on the site’s historic significance, function and condition, according to Reuters.