The castle queue snakes past the Copper Horse by 9am. Tourists clog the pavement outside the Crooked House. Local shopkeepers say footfall is up 20% on last August but spending per head is down. People buy ice cream and postcards, not the higher-margin items.
The council’s new pedestrian zone on Thames Street starts next month. Traders are split. Some want the traffic gone. Others worry delivery access will be a nightmare. The trial on Sheet Street last year caused chaos for three weeks before they scrapped it.
Meanwhile, the Long Walk is packed with families and dogs. The grass is worn thin near the gate. Park rangers are asking people to stick to the paths but no one listens. The car park at the Savill Garden fills by 10am.
House prices in the area have flattened. Estate agents blame the stamp duty changes. A two-bedroom flat near the station now sits on the market for eight weeks. Sellers are dropping asking prices by 5% just to get viewings.
The local paper ran a story about a new coffee roastery opening in Eton. It will be the third speciality coffee shop on that street. The owner says there is room for more. Locals on the Facebook group say otherwise.
That is the state of Windsor right now. Busy, divided, and slightly frayed at the edges.
Paul