Leicester Square used to be London’s clubbing capital, but now it’s mostly frequented by M&M and lego-loving tourists while the rest of us tend to avoid it.
According to research, Leicester Square is seen by Londoners as “scruffy and rowdy”, so West End bosses thought it was about time for a lil’ spruce up. The square last had a makeover in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics, when the area was decked out with granite paving, extra seating in and around the Gardens, and some kid-friendly fountains. But it’s due another revamp…
Next year, the square will be getting a big, heart-shaped logo with the letters ‘LSQ’ to supposedly make it less scruffy, and, naturally, more Instagrammable. The area will also be made more pedestrian-friendly, by widening pavements and improving the lighting. Lots of hotels have or will be opening in the area too, including a 4 star cinema-themed hotel that overlooks the square.
For now, Leicester Square is pretty busy with its annual Christmas Market, open until 7th January 2018. And, in other development news, we can expect to see the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street some time in the new year.
Featured image: Javier Hernández Porras