{"id":25221,"date":"2013-02-02T02:57:52","date_gmt":"2013-02-02T01:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uk.news.yahoo.com\/shard-opens-viewing-deck-visitors-015752663.html"},"modified":"2013-02-02T02:57:52","modified_gmt":"2013-02-02T01:57:52","slug":"the-shard-opens-viewing-deck-to-visitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/the-shard-opens-viewing-deck-to-visitors\/","title":{"rendered":"The Shard Opens Viewing Deck To Visitors"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Thousands of tourists with a head for heights have scaled one of Europe’s tallest skyscrapers for the first time.<\/p>\n

Among the visitors to The View from The Shard on its opening day were James Episcopou, who proposed to his girlfriend Laura Taylor more than 240m above the ground.<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old got down on one knee moments after the Mayor of London officially opened the panoramic viewing platform on level 72 of the 310m (1,016ft) tower.<\/p>\n

He said he had “no idea” Boris Johnson – and a host of journalists and photographers – would be there to share the moment.<\/p>\n

“I’ve had it planned since July last year,” he said. “When tickets first came out I thought I had to buy them. It’s the perfect place to propose.<\/p>\n

“Laura means everything to me and I wanted to make her feel on top of the world.<\/p>\n

“We had no idea the media were going to be there, but when we arrived we saw Boris Johnson and there were cameras everywhere.<\/p>\n

“When people plan a proposal they think ‘how can I make it special?’ I managed to do quite a good job.”<\/p>\n

Mr Johnson described The Shard’s observation deck as “a most amazing place”.<\/p>\n

He said: “I don’t think there’s anything in London like this. It’s the closest thing to being in an aeroplane and looking down on London.<\/p>\n

“You can see all the bends in the river, you can see my office, you can see Buckingham Palace, you can see the whole (city) for 40 miles around.”<\/p>\n

Some 4,800 people visited The Shard on its opening day, paying up to \u00a324.95 for a ticket.<\/p>\n

On a clear day, visitors are promised spectacular views of the capital – but visibility has been hampered by wet and cloudy weather so far.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

Thousands of tourists with a head for heights have scaled one of Europe’s tallest skyscrapers for the first time.<\/p>\n

Among the visitors to The View from The Shard on its opening day were James Episcopou, who proposed to his girlfriend Laura Taylor more than 240m above the ground.<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old got down on one knee moments after the Mayor of London officially opened the panoramic viewing platform on level 72 of the 310m (1,016ft) tower.<\/p>\n

He said he had “no idea” Boris Johnson – and a host of journalists and photographers – would be there to share the moment.<\/p>\n

“I’ve had it planned since July last year,” he said. “When tickets first came out I thought I had to buy them. It’s the perfect place to propose.<\/p>\n

“Laura means everything to me and I wanted to make her feel on top of the world.<\/p>\n

“We had no idea the media were going to be there, but when we arrived we saw Boris Johnson and there were cameras everywhere.<\/p>\n

“When people plan a proposal they think ‘how can I make it special?’ I managed to do quite a good job.”<\/p>\n

Mr Johnson described The Shard’s observation deck as “a most amazing place”.<\/p>\n

He said: “I don’t think there’s anything in London like this. It’s the closest thing to being in an aeroplane and looking down on London.<\/p>\n

“You can see all the bends in the river, you can see my office, you can see Buckingham Palace, you can see the whole (city) for 40 miles around.”<\/p>\n

Some 4,800 people visited The Shard on its opening day, paying up to £24.95 for a ticket.<\/p>\n

On a clear day, visitors are promised spectacular views of the capital – but visibility has been hampered by wet and cloudy weather so far.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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