Leicester Square has always been a hub for entertainment. Yet the relocation of an existing casino to a famous building could turn it into the UK’s foremost gambling quarter.
As a place to build a casino, few can be as enticing as central London. It is a place where the wealthy come to play, and it has buildings that can match the scale and splendour people expect. One of its most famous buildings, the Trocadero, is set to be reopened as one, quietly turning the area into one of the most casino-rich places in the United Kingdom.
The Redevelopment of the Trocadero
In October last year, permission was given by councillors in London to turn the iconic Trocadero building into a two-storey casino and restaurant. Situated on Coventry Street, it is perfectly situated between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. This meeting place and bustling hub has long been at the heart of London’s entertainment scene, and with the Trocadero’s redevelopment, the area now blends historic gaming with modern trends, including digital gaming experiences that mirror the atmosphere of the city’s famous floors.
Plans were approved unanimously. This was despite opposition from the Soho Society, a coalition of workers and residents in the area who all care for the historical and social fabric of Soho. Their worry was that the project would encourage late-night drinking, describing the move as “representing a massive intensification of gambling and alcohol-led activity that would encourage increased crime and anti-social behaviour.”
The casino defended this by saying that they are not the kind of establishment that attracts large groups of drinkers. In fact, they stated that alcohol would only be around 7% of their revenue. They also added that there is a “robust operational management plan which addresses matters such as dispersal, noise and smoking so the venue operates smoothly and respectfully.”
The History of the Trocadero
The building was originally constructed in 1896 as a restaurant on the site of a former music hall. Ran by the famous Lyons company, they also acquired other properties adjacent to it, extending in 1902.
This then closed in the mid-sixties, and the building was sold to a major entertainment company, which would later become well known as providers of bingo in the United Kingdom. It was at this point that it would become tied to gambling entertainment. Alongside restaurants were dance halls and even a bowling alley.
Another chapter in the building’s history arrived in the nineties. At this point, it was turned into a bazaar of shopping and entertainment. Inside was a Madame Tussauds’ Rock Circus, Planet Hollywood, and a Ripley’s Believe It or Not. After this, a hotel was planned, but it never happened, and it suddenly became a mishmash of tourist shops and restaurants.
For a long time, the first floor and basement were home to the Opium Nightclub and Bubba Gump Restaurant. The former was a top luxury lifestyle event space, winning numerous awards. Yet a shooting in the club meant it was only open for just over a year when its license was revoked.
The Hippodrome and Other Casinos
By no means is the opening of the Trocadero the start of a casino revolution. There have been several in the area for some time, which is why the location is quietly becoming a casino haven. Of these, the Hippodrome has to be the most famous, and arguably the most important to the area.
Opened in 1900, it was originally used as a place for variety performances. Astonishingly, the whole building was decked out with a nautical theme. The entrance was a ship’s salon, and it had a water tank in which aquatic performance could take place. Imagine shows featuring horses, polar bears, elephants, acrobats diving from the roof into tanks of water and squirting fountains, all indoors, and you may have some idea.
By the sixties, it had been refurbished and became known as Talk of the Town. It became a magnet for the swinging sixties scene, with performances by some of the greats of all time. Among them were Diana Ross, Frank Sinatra, The Jacksons, Stevie Wonder and others.
Changing through many other hands, it finally became a casino in 2009. A reported £40 million was poured into the redevelopment, and it opened in 2012. Spanning four floors of gaming, it has since even opened a rooftop terrace and restaurant.
Besides this are several others, many directly on the square itself. Further South West, toward Mayfair, are the real closed doors, invite-only establishments. Yet at their heart is Leicester Square. Providing everything from slot games to succulent fine dining, they have been central to London’s rich fabric for some time and will remain so. It is unlikely other buildings will follow suit, as licenses for new caisnos have now stopped being issued, meaning you should use and treasure the ones already there.
