One of London’s most famous tourist attractions is getting a facelift but one little girl is offering her services so nobody misses out.
With Big Ben undergoing renovations over the next three years, the clock tower’s recognisable chimes will be a thing of memory for many until everything is back up and running as usual.
However, it would have been business as usual if Phoebe Hanson had got her way.
Worried about how they would replace Big Ben’s chimes on the 6pm news, Phoebe came up with a genius idea.
Here's the original (and best): Phoebe's letter to @BBCRadio4 ... @Trushar @BBCPM pic.twitter.com/xfxXU2GPoA
— Roger Sawyer (@rogsawyer) December 19, 2016
The eight-year-old wrote to BBC Radio 4 to tell them she would gladly step in and replicate the clock “bongs” with an instrument and a good microphone.
But in what may be the sweetest rejection letter ever, BBC editor Roger Sawyer highlighted how much work old Ben really has to do.
“Thank you for your very imaginative idea. Some of the cleverest and most important people at the BBC are scratching their heads, wondering what to do.
“As you know, the Bongs are live. So it would be quite a task for you, doing the Bongs: you’d have to rush in after school each day (and at the weekend), rush home for tea, homework, a bit of chillin’, then a quick sleep.
If anyone knows Roger Sawyer's twitter name, do reveal. I'd just like to tell him how much I love him. @worththelicence https://t.co/ae9vnezcff
— Jane Furniss (@MaryjaneFurniss) December 17, 2016
“And then – here’s the hard bit – you’d have to rush back in again at midnight, because there are live bongs again before the midnight news.
“That’s an awful lot of work for someone who is still quite young. I know I wouldn’t like to do all that.”
Having broken down the job description, Roger finished his letter by thanking Phoebe again for her kind offer and shared his surprise that she even listened to Radio 4.
“I’m very impressed that you listen to Radio 4. I wish my two children did.”
