[title]
The Trocadero has had many, many lives. The Piccadilly Circus landmark has been everything from a glitzy Edwardian dining room to a neon-lit 80s arcade. And now? It might be about to become a giant new casino.
Built in the 1800s in a decadent baroque style, the Trocadero opened as a grand restaurant for London’s high society. After WWII its glamour faded and the building stood empty for nearly two decades. In the 1980s it was reborn as a vast entertainment complex packed with shops, cinemas and an arcade, becoming an important part of city life – the go-to place for family days out, first dates and after school hangouts.
But the novelty wore off, and in 2011 the entertainment complex closed. In recent years there’s been talk of turning the building into all sorts of things, from a Japanese-inspired pod hotel and a luxury nightclub to a Bubba Gump restaurant and even a mosque.
Now, there are fresh plans for the iconic building. Casino operator Genting has submitted plans to Westminster City Council proposing to open a restaurant and two-storey casino at the Trocadero. The plans detail a 1,250-capacity casino in the basement and first floor, as well as a restaurant on the ground floor.
‘It was like being in a sci-fi movie’: Londoners share their favourite memories of the Trocadero.
The revamp would also include two new shopfronts along Rupert Street, and a new shopfront and entrance on Coventry Street, replacing a souvenir shop and the Bestmart entrance.
Not everyone’s thrilled about the plans. The Soho Society told the Standard that the community organisation opposed the plans because it is worried that another gambling venue in the area could lead to antisocial behaviour.
Westminster planning officers responded: ‘Given the fact that the casino would replace a long-standing nightclub use, that it would be controlled by the Operational Management Plan and the strict legislation of the Gambling Acts, it is considered that the proposal is acceptable and would be consistent with the relevant policies in the City Plan.’
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.