Transport for London (TfL) has generated more than £2.4 million by allowing companies to temporarily rename London Underground stations since 2015, according to new data from a Freedom of Information request. The most lucrative deal saw Amazon pay £390,000 to rebrand Westminster as 'Webminster' in 2017, while recent sponsorships include Skechers paying £150,000 to rename Canary Wharf as 'Kaneary Wharf' in June 2026 to mark England's World Cup run.
Revenue details and notable rebrands
The FOI response, reported by MyLondon, lists 11 separate rebranding deals over the past decade. The second-highest earner was Absolut Vodka, which paid £355,000 to place a 'Haring Cross' roundel at Charing Cross in 2025. Warburtons paid £300,000 to rename Baker Street as 'Bakers Street' in 2026, and Samsung paid £250,000 to rebrand Old Street as 'Fold Street' in 2024.
Other deals include Burberry's £250,000 rebrand of Bond Street to 'Burberry Street' in 2023, Amazon Prime's £250,000 'Picardilly Circus' for Piccadilly Circus in 2020, and The Times' £250,000 'Westminster Jungle' in 2019. Visa paid £80,000 to rename Southgate as 'Gareth Southgate' in 2018, and Buxton Water paid £110,000 for 'Buxton Water' at Canada Water in 2015.
Criticism and passenger confusion
Despite the revenue boost, TfL has faced criticism for causing confusion, particularly among elderly and disabled passengers. During the 2023 Burberry rebrand, one passenger claimed on X that an elderly man missed his stop after not noticing the changed platform signage. TfL received 46 complaints about the five-day campaign, with one person alleging they were injured as a result.
A year later, during Samsung's 'Fold Street' rebrand, TfL was accused on social media of showing a "big middle finger" to passengers unfamiliar with the Tube. Andy Lord, TfL's Commissioner, acknowledged the issues in a December 2023 London Assembly meeting, stating: "Often, we get approached by a number of brands and organisations who would be keen to partner with us. TfL, and particularly the Tube, is an iconic brand that they’d like to be associated with... The Burberry sponsorship was, I think, the longest activation that we’ve done. I think it lasted seven days, from memory."
TfL's response and mitigation measures
Lord added: "There are a number of operational mitigations that were put in place that weren’t consistently delivered. So, it did cause some confusion for some customers on the network. We’ve learned from that, done a review, and they will be fed into any further equivalent scheme should we have the right commercial opportunity going forward. But, we don’t just agree to anything."
TfL began allowing station rebrands in 2015 as a way to raise extra revenue. The practice has continued despite the criticism, with the most recent rebrand in June 2026 involving Skechers and Harry Kane. The partial rebrand of Canary Wharf included renaming the ticket hall and four platform roundels, according to TfL's FOI response.
Impact on passengers and future plans
Critics argue that such rebrands make navigating the Tube harder for visitors and vulnerable passengers. However, TfL maintains that it reviews each opportunity carefully and implements mitigations. The revenue from these deals contributes to TfL's overall budget, which has faced significant financial pressures in recent years.
As TfL continues to seek commercial partnerships, the balance between raising funds and maintaining passenger clarity remains a contentious issue. The FOI data shows that while some rebrands have been relatively uncontroversial, others have sparked public backlash. TfL has not announced any future rebrand deals, but the financial incentive suggests more may be on the horizon.
