Tottenham Court Road Tube Gets a Guinness Makeover for a Week

Commuters on the Northern Line at Tottenham Court Road might do a double take this week as tube maps at the station temporarily take on the appearance of a pint of Guinness.

Eleven route maps have been redesigned, complete with the Guinness harp logo and the famous toucan perched atop one sign, while the roundel has been swapped for the brand’s emblem in some areas of Tottenham Court Road and Covent Garden stations. The Central and Elizabeth line maps remain unchanged. The campaign launched on February 9 and runs for a week.

Rather than encouraging drinking on the Tube, the promotion highlights Guinness’ new Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden, which opened in December. Visitors can tour the brewery, enjoy tastings, and dine on-site. Guinness hopes to attract over 500,000 visitors in its first year.

Emma Strain, TfL’s customer director, said: “The brewery is one of London’s newest attractions and is just a short walk from some of our busiest stations. We’re pleased to support Guinness in celebrating their new venue.” She added that campaigns like these allow brands to reach London commuters while generating revenue that TfL reinvests into the transport network.

This is the latest in a series of high-profile branding initiatives by TfL, which has faced financial pressure following the pandemic-related drop in passenger numbers. Previous campaigns include renaming Bond Street station to “Burberry Street” in 2023 and Old Street to “Fold Street” in 2024 to promote Samsung products, as well as rebranding the Bakerloo line for Heineken’s zero-alcohol beer in January.

While some have criticised these promotions for potentially confusing passengers, TfL said all activations undergo Equality Impact Assessments to ensure they do not disrupt services or negatively affect staff and passengers.