On Saturday 14 November 2026, the Lord Mayor's Show takes over the Square Mile. The procession sets off from Mansion House at 11am, and for most of the day almost the whole of the City of London is closed to vehicles — not partially restricted, closed.
If you live, work or are staying in the City, or you're trying to reach Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street or a hotel near Bank that Saturday, this is the page to read before you book a car. (Information as of 17 September 2026, from the organisers' closures page. Check it again the week before — details can change.)
What closes and when
According to the organisers:
- Most City roads close from about 7am, earlier in some places — from 5am around Bank, and from midnight for Princes Street.
- After 7am there is no way in or out of the closed area by vehicle. Everything inside the boundary is shut to traffic.
- The closed area runs roughly between Kingsway and Bishopsgate, and from the river up to Holborn and Chapterhouse Street. The boundary roads themselves stay open.
- Most roads reopen around 4pm.
- Buses are diverted around the City or turn back at the edge of the closed area.
- Parking bays in the City start closing from the Friday afternoon.
In practice, that means a taxi can't collect you from a City address, or drop you at one, for most of Saturday.
If you're leaving the City on Show day
The most important rule: if you need a car from inside the closed area, either go before the closures start or walk out to the boundary.
- Early flight or train? Book a pickup well before 7am — and before 5am if you're near Bank. Don't cut it fine; the closures are firm.
- Later in the day? Arrange a pickup on an open road outside the boundary and walk to it. Pick a specific, easy-to-find point — a named hotel entrance or station exit on an open road — rather than a street corner. Allow for crowds on the pavements near the route.
- Luggage? Walking a suitcase through a procession crowd is hard going. If you're checking out of a City hotel that Saturday, the early pickup is usually the better option, or check with the hotel about luggage storage until the roads reopen.
If you're arriving on Show day
Arriving from an airport into the City on 14 November needs the same thinking in reverse. If you land in the morning, your driver won't be able to reach a City hotel before the roads reopen at around 4pm. Options:
- Set down at the edge of the closed area and walk the last stretch.
- Time the arrival for after the reopening, with a buffer — reopenings take time to clear.
- Head somewhere outside the City first (lunch, luggage storage) and continue later.
Our Heathrow to Canary Wharf guide covers the east London side if you can base yourself outside the Square Mile, and the London airport transfer guide helps choose the right airport route.
Coming to watch the Show
Getting close by car isn't realistic — plan to be dropped outside the closed area and walk in. Tube and rail stations around the City are the usual approach; the organisers said they weren't aware of engineering works affecting the day as of our check, but that's worth confirming nearer the time. For the trip home, especially with children, book a pickup at a named point outside the boundary rather than trying to find a car in the crowd afterwards. The same principles apply as for any big event — see our stadium and event taxi guide.
Plan around it, not through it
The Show is a single day with a firm boundary, so the simplest plan is almost always to avoid the City by car entirely between early morning and late afternoon. The week before, Remembrance Sunday (8 November 2026) brings its own closures around Whitehall — if you're planning several central London journeys that month, check each date separately rather than assuming the same roads are affected. For wider disruption planning, our Tube strike alternatives guide explains how to work around closures in general.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When is the Lord Mayor's Show 2026? A: Saturday 14 November 2026. The procession sets off from Mansion House at 11am.
Q: What roads are closed for the Lord Mayor's Show? A: Almost all roads in the City of London, roughly between Kingsway and Bishopsgate and from the river up to Holborn and Chapterhouse Street, from about 7am until around 4pm. Some closures start earlier, including around Bank from 5am.
Q: Can a taxi pick me up in the City during the Lord Mayor's Show? A: Not inside the closed area. The organisers say there is no vehicle access in or out after 7am, so book a pickup before the closures or meet your driver on an open road outside the boundary.
Q: What time do the roads reopen after the Lord Mayor's Show? A: The organisers say most roads reopen around 4pm. Allow extra time after that for traffic to clear.
Q: I'm checking out of a City hotel on Show day — what should I do? A: Either book a pickup before the closures start, or arrange luggage storage with the hotel and meet a car outside the closed area later.
Travelling that weekend? Book your journey in advance and pick a pickup time before the closures start or a meeting point outside the closed area.