Tickets for the Bayeux tapestry’s British Museum exhibition sold out within a day after visitors faced online queues of up to nine hours, but guests at the five-star One Aldwych hotel can access a reserved allocation. The arrangement has drawn criticism from Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore, who argues that it allows wealthy visitors to bypass public demand for a significant historical artefact.

Rooms at One Aldwych cost more than £1,000 a night, and its Bayeux package includes exhibition access, a themed cocktail and breakfast, with one ticket per guest per stay. The tapestry, depicting the Norman conquest of England in 1066, is in Britain for the first time and will remain at the museum until July 2027; initial ticket sales generated more than £2.5m, while further releases are planned for October and January.