Massive Piccadilly Circus-style advertising screens are planned for another major central London landmark, as part of a new 10-floor entertainment complex at Leicester Square. The screens will be accompanied by a rooftop restaurant, adding to the area's vibrant atmosphere.
Plans for a New Entertainment Hub
Developer Soho Estates has drawn up plans for a 10-storey entertainment complex in the central London plaza. Four of those storeys would be covered by LED screens on rotating panels, displaying ads as well as arts and cultural content. Soho Estates has promised that the content, brightness, and operating hours of the screens would be 'carefully controlled' in line with planning conditions agreed with Westminster City Council.
Leicester Square is one of the most overstimulating parts of London, with crowds, music, and neon flashes. The main screen in Piccadilly Circus is the largest in Europe, while the billboard in Leicester Square is much smaller. However, this new development could bring a much larger screen to the area.
Details of the Development
Soho Estates is a property group that has been buying up buildings in Leicester Square since the 1990s, including the Burger King on the corner of Bear Street. Eight of those buildings will be incorporated into the enormous entertainment hub. The development will include a food court on the ground floor, a rooftop restaurant, and new shop fronts on Bear Street and Cranbourn Street. It will be able to accommodate up to 600 people at a time.
Fawn James, the CEO of Soho Estates, said: 'Leicester Square is visited by millions of people every year. It's a world stage for red-carpet premieres, culture, and entertainment. It deserves a building that matches its status and feels like the curtain rising on the next chapter. A new star attraction, made for Leicester Square.'
Approval Challenges
A full application for the complex is expected to be submitted to Westminster Council this summer, following a series of public engagement events over the spring. However, securing approval for the screens may prove tricky. Last month, the council sub-committee refused plans to install five screens showing static ad images at 39 Charing Cross Road. The advertising was described as 'excessive in scale', and one councillor remarked that the screens would be 'more fitting for Disneyland Paris'.
