Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square – London’s Famous Spots
These two names are famous: people from all over the world know where they are and what they stand for. It isn’t anything to do with their historical background but their reputations which have been forged from being in the spotlight for decades. Piccadilly Circus is known for being the centre of London, for being the gateway for the rest of the city whereas Leicester Square is known for its part in the film industry and for hosting thousands of star-studded events. Both are iconic and, if you’re a first time tourist in London or even if you’re a London veteran, it is worth taking the time to visit Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus just to see famous lights and to feel the excitement of a film premiere.
The History
Piccadilly Circus is steeped in history and its beginnings are quite unique. The name ‘Piccadilly’ was given to the area in the 17th century in connection with Robert Baker, a tailor who specialised in making and selling piccadills. Piccadilly Circus was born in 1819 and had a circular structure which was lost in 1886 with the birth of Shaftesbury Avenue, now famous for its array of theatres. In 1906, the Bakerloo line Piccadilly Circus station was opened and was promptly followed by the Piccadilly line. The famous illuminated advertisements that we recognise as Piccadilly Circus today were first displayed in 1910 and from 1923, the electric boards were erected on the London Pavilion, which is now part of the Trocadero Centre and is is also home to the ‘Ripley’s Believe it or Not’ exhibition.
Leicester Square was named so after the Robert Sidney, the 2nd Earl of Leicester, who also gave his name to Leicester House, the biggest house of its day in London. The square was actually set out as a feature in the garden of Leicester House which then became a public garden after a law dispute. The Square became a residential area and welcomed an array of notable figures such as William Hogarth, Matthew Prior and Joshua Reynolds. Leicester House was demolished at the end of the 18th century, making way for retail development and, today, the Prince Charles Cinema can be found on this historic site. Today, it is home to many cinemas and theatres and it is well-known for its London West End deals thanks to the TKTS that can be found in the Square.
Bright Lights Big City
If you ask someone what springs to their mind when they mention ‘Piccadilly Circus’, it is guaranteed to be the bright LED displays advertising several different brands. The first was a Perrier sign in 1908 and, from there, all the buildings surrounding the circus were glowing with the lights of companies and brands. The early signs were illuminated by lightbulbs and these were replaced by neon lights, Bovril were the first product to be put in neon lights, as well as moving pictures; an example of this is the Guinness clock. The late 90’s saw digital projectors produce computerised images, such as the Coca Cola, and the 21st century saw the move to the bright and beautiful LED screens that we know today.
There have been many brands who have graced the screens of Piccadilly Circus such as Sanyo, Carlsberg and Budweiser who have now come and gone, but the ones who are lighting up London’s night sky now have been there for many years. Coca-Cola is the oldest sign on the boards; first lit in 1954, it has gone from neon to LED and is still going strong today. Mcdonald’s sparked its board in 1987 and was updated with a larger screen in 2008 while TDK Corporation, a Japanese electronics company, joined the screens in 1990. The South Korean company Samsung bought a slot in lights in 1994 and another mighty mobile giant, LG, was added to a large board opposite Piccadilly Circus on the roof of Coventry House in 2007. The newest signs are Hyundai Motors who purchased their LED place in 2011 and One Piccadilly; this LED board can be leased for long or short periods of time by all companies and corporations
The illuminating lights of Piccadilly Circus can be found seconds from The Piccadilly Hotel London are on 24 hours a day and 365 days a year and have only been switched off a handful of times since they were first lit. Special occasions, such as the deaths of the Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Princess Diana, have seen Piccadilly plunge into darkness as well as the Lights out London campaign in 2007.
Leicester Square is known for its film premieres and has hosted them since the mid 20th century. It has become known as ‘Theatreland’ due to housing a cinema with the largest screen, a theatre with over 1600 seats, for it being conveniently located on the outskirts of Shaftesbury Avenue and for its reputation for selling discounted theatre tickets. It hosts several film prmeieres every year and welcomes some of the world’s most famous film stars; in June it will host the premiere of Hampstead which stars Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson.
Famous Spots
The Statue of Eros and Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain
The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain was built in the late 19th century to honour Lord Shaftesbury, a Victorian politician. It was built in the centre of Piccadilly Circus but it was moved after the second world war to where it stands today. More famous than the fountain itself is the statue on top, the statue of Eros, however, due to Lord Shaftesbury’s philanthropic works, it was originally given the name ‘The Angel of Christian Charity’ and the statue itself was meant to depict Eros’s brother, Anteros.
The Gardens Square
In the middle of Leicester Square lies the Gardens Square, a place that was originally used for herding cattle and washing clothes on Lammas Day. It suffered at the hands of neglectful owners until it was given to the City of Westminster who, in turn, invested money to bring it back to its original state. Architect James Knowles designed the garden and it included several statues including a statue of William Shakespeare upon a fountain, a statue of actor Charlie Chaplin, one of the painter William Hogarth and one of Sir Isaac Newton. However, after the Great Outdoor overhaul, only Shakespeare’s statue and fountain remains.